Detention requested for four individuals and restraining orders for one in "Box" operation

(Patria) - After questioning the suspects, the acting prosecutor of the BiH Prosecutor's Office submitted a request to the BiH Court for detention of four suspects, citizens of the Republic of Serbia, and restraining orders for one person, who were apprehended in the "Box" operation conducted by the BiH Border Police, in cooperation with the Indirect Taxation Authority of BiH (UIO BiH), in the areas of Sarajevo and Višegrad.

Detention has been requested due to the reasons described in Article 132, Paragraph 1, points a) and b) of the Criminal Procedure Code of BiH, namely the risk of the suspects absconding, and the risk that they might obstruct the investigation, conceal evidence, or influence witnesses or accomplices if released.

During the investigative and operational activities, information and evidence were gathered indicating that the suspects, from the beginning of November 2022 to mid-January 2023, as members of an organized group of people along with individuals known to them from BiH and the Republic of Serbia, for the purpose of obtaining unlawful financial gain, smuggled large quantities of textile goods and excise goods (shisha tobacco) across the state border from the Republic of Serbia to BiH, and then put them into circulation as undeclared goods on the BiH market.

The suspects are under investigation due to well-founded suspicion that they have committed the criminal offense of organizing a group of people or association for smuggling or distributing undeclared goods under Article 215, in conjunction with the criminal offense of smuggling under Article 214 of the Criminal Code of BiH.

As part of the "Box" operation, 1.86 tons of excise goods (shisha tobacco) were temporarily seized, with an estimated market value of approximately 360,000 KM.