SIPA

In the framework of the case code-named “Joker”, upon undertaking measures and activities from its competence, the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) carried out investigations about suspected individuals, members of an organised criminal group, which resulted in arrests of six individuals and seizure of goods valued at BAM 2.2 million.

The investigation covered a number of physical and legal persons from Sarajevo, Istočno Sarajevo and Čelinac due to grounded suspicion of having committed the criminal offence set out in Article 250 of the Criminal Code BH “Organised Crime”, in conjunction with the criminal offence set out in Chapter Eighteen of the CC BH (Criminal Offences Against the Economy, Market Integrity and Customs Related Criminal Offences), in the period 2012 – 2014 during container import of textile and other goods from the People’s Republic of China to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

A months-long investigation by police officials of SIPA resulted in the arrest of six individuals in the operation code-named “Joker” on 25 March 2014, upon orders by the Court BH and Prosecutor’s Office BH. The arrested individuals are suspected of having committed the criminal offence of organised crime, in conjunction with the criminal offences of customs fraud, smuggling, tax evasion or fraud, accepting gifts and other forms of benefits, giving gifts and other forms of benefits, illegal interceding, abuse of office or official authority, etc.

Upon criminal processing, the arrested individuals were questioned about circumstances they had been accused of. Two of these individuals, along with a report on the perpetrated criminal offence, were submitted to the acting Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office BH for further processing. Upon the proposal by the Prosecutor’s Office BH, the Court BH set one month detention for these individuals.

The same day the operation was carried out, residential and business buildings at nine locations in Sarajevo, Istočno Sarajevo and Čelinac were searched, whereby items that could be used as evidence in further proceedings were found and seized (business documents, mobile telephones, SIM cards, computer equipment, etc.).

In the framework of this operation, there was cooperation with the Indirect Taxation Authority, which also took part in this case and whose officials, based on jointly gathered information, performed an inspection of business operations of commercial entities with which business irregularities had been identified. Thereby, substantial quantities of goods without proper documents and deficits in stock with some inspected entities were detected.

Preliminary results show that during the inspections, goods in the amount of at least BAM 2.000.000 were found and seized and the inspection of detected deficiencies with a number of business entities is ongoing. The inspection covers commercial entities operating in Sarajevo and at “Arizona” market in Brčko District.

The operation code-named “Joker” is one of the most extensive operations coordinated between law enforcement agencies in BH, whereby criminal offences against economy, market integrity and customs are the subject of the investigation.

Activities within this case are still ongoing with the aim of detecting and determining responsibility of all individuals involved in these illegal activities, particularly determining the responsibility of employees of the administrative authorities.