SIPA

On 12 September 2012, police officials of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) initiated one of the most complex police actions against financial crime in post-war BH, in the framework of which a seven-member organised group was apprehended. They made millions of damage to the BH state budget by customs fraud, money laundering and tax evasion. During this action, searches were carried out at 23 locations in Sarajevo, Brčko, Gradačac, Banjaluka, Trnovo and Doboj-Jug.

The action carried out yesterday, under the code name of “Bos”, is the result of the investigation by police officials of SIPA on members of an organised group who had been committing criminal offences in the area of taxes and customs, and for the past six moths alone, they had evaded at least BAM 3.5 million in taxes.

In searches at dozens of residential, business and commercial premises (“Eko San”, “Janus”, “Sa Tours” and “Bosna Express”) and other movable and non-movable property used by the members of this group, evidential material was found and seized, primarily a large quantity of business and financial documentation, mobile telephones, telephone cards, fire arms, computer and other equipment used for the perpetration of the mentioned and other criminal offences.

Due to extensive material evidence found at the locations where searches were being carried out, particularly a large quantity of financial and business documentation, in early morning hours on 13 September 2012, searches at 11 locations were continued and during the day, more individuals and locations will be covered.

The apprehended individuals, along with the report on the committed criminal offence set out in the Article 250 of the Criminal Code BH (Organised Crime), in conjunction with the criminal offence set out in the Article 210 (Tax Evasion), Article 216 (Customs Fraud) and Article 209 (Money Laundering) will be handed over to the Prosecutor’s Office BH for further processing.

In the apprehension and searches at business and residential premises, police officials of SIPA had the assistance from members of the Sarajevo Canton Ministry of Interior, Brčko District Police, Central Bosnia Canton Ministry of Interior, as well as the Border Police in the investigative activities.

All the mentioned activities are being carried out upon the order from the Court BH and Prosecutor’s Office BH.