SIPA

 On 26 April 2013, acting upon orders from the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Prosecutor’s Office BH and Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor’s Office, members of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) carried out three operations across Bosnia and Herzegovina. The operations were code-named “Memory”, “Patriot” and “Pravda”. The operations were carried out with the assistance from members of the Intelligence Security Agency BH, Ministry of Interior of Republic of Srpska, Sarajevo Canton Ministry of Interior, Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Ministry of Interior and Central Bosnia Canton Ministry of Interior.
In the framework of these operations, 20 individuals were arrested so far in relation to the perpetration of criminal offences of corruption, illicit trafficking in narcotics and organised crime. High officials of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina institutions are also among the arrested individuals. These were the most comprehensive operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina covering criminal offences of corruption. Searches were carried out at 23 locations across Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In the operation code-named “Memory”, nine individuals were arrested on grounds for suspicion of having committed the criminal offence of “Organised Crime” set out in the Article 250 of the Criminal Code BH, in conjunction with the criminal offence of “illicit Trafficking in Narcotics” set out in the Article 195 of the CC BH, criminal offence of “Abuse of Office or Official Authority” set out in the Article 383 of the CC FBH and criminal offence of “Illegal Interceding” set out in the Article 382 of the CC FBH. The individuals from this group linked to the criminal offence of illicit trafficking in narcotics participated in arranging, procuring and transporting 110 kg of marijuana seized in Montenegro in February 2013. The main suspect in the case code-named “Memory” was in the procedure of amnesty granting with the Office of the President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In the operation code-named “Patriot”, ten individuals were arrested on grounds for suspicion of having committed the criminal offence of “Accepting Gifts and Other Forms of Benefits” set out in the Article 380 of the CC BH, criminal offence of “Giving Gifts and Other Forms of Benefits” set out in the Article 381 of the CC FBH, criminal offence of “Illegal Interceding” set out in the Article 382 of the CC FBH in conjunction with the Articles 2 and 6 of the Amnesty Law of the Federation BH. During this operation, searches at eight locations were carried out. All arrested individuals participated in preparations for issuing illegal decisions of amnesty granting by the President of the Federation BH.
In the operation code named “Pravda”, one individual was arrested on grounds for suspicion of having committed the criminal offence of “Abuse of Office or Official Authority” set out in the Article 383 of the CC FBH and criminal offence of “Giving Gifts and Other Forms of Benefits” set out in the Article 381 of the CC FBH. Within this operation, searches were carried out in four locations. During the searches, a substantial quantity of documents about the work of the Federal Amnesty Commission, computers, mobile telephones, SIM cards and other items that might be used as evidence in the proceedings were found and seized.
The arrested individuals were detained at the official premises of the State Investigation and Protection Agency, where they will be criminally processed by a joint team of representatives from the Prosecutor’s Office BH, Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor’s Office and members of SIPA, whereupon they will be handed over for further processing to the Prosecutor’s Office BH .

 Photos of today’s action can be found here.

A video of today’s apprehension: