SIPA

Police officials of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) have started the operation codenamed “Gas” in the area of Herzegovina today (7/11/2014). Within this operation, SIPA deprived of liberty three individuals with initials ZJ (1958), ŠŠ (1979) and MO (1968) due to grounds for suspicion of having committed the criminal offence of organised crime in conjunction with the criminal offence of illicit trafficking in narcotics. Searches of buildings in four locations are underway. The activities are carried out in cooperation with police officials of the Border Police BH and MoI of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton.

The Operation “Gas“ is carried out in coordination with the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Croatia and the deprivation of liberty of several suspects and searches at several locations are underway in Croatia.

The SIPA police officials in cooperation with PNUSKOK and MoI of the Republic of Croatia conducted a complex and months-long criminal investigation into several individuals from B&H and the Republic of Croatia. The investigation resulted in establishing facts and collecting evidence on criminal activities of suspects and seizing over 60 kg of “skunk” on the territory of the Republic of Croatia. All available police investigative capacities of both countries took part in the implementation of these activities.

The individuals deprived of liberty under this operation are suspected, as members of an organised criminal group, of having continuously conducted the illicit trafficking in “skunk” from B&H to the Republic of Croatia in the period from June to November 2014 for the purpose of gaining illegal profit.

Following establishment of the facts and confirmation of the grounds for suspicion and at the proposal of the State Investigation and Protection Agency, the Court BH and Prosecutor’s Office BH have issued orders for searches and deprivation of liberty that are being conducted today.

The individuals deprived of liberty will be brought to the premises of SIPA Regional Office in Mostar for criminal processing after which, they will be handed over to the Prosecutor’s Office BH together with the report on criminal offence and perpetrators for further action.