SIPA

This morning (21/12/2015), police officials of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) deprived six individuals of liberty and searched six locations in the operation „Lift“ in the area of Sarajevo and Mostar.

These activities were carried out upon orders of the Court B&H in cooperation with police officials of the Border Police B&H, Herzegovina-Neretva Canton MoI and Sarajevo Canton MoI. A special form of assistance was provided by the Federal Administration of Civil Protection. The operation "Lift” is the result of months-long investigation conducted by SIPA investigators under the supervision of the Prosecutor's Office B&H.

The individuals identified by initials HH (1983), MS (1961), MS (1959), MP (1978), NP (1957) and MM (1978) were deprived of liberty due to grounded suspicion of having committed the criminal offence under Article 250 of the CC B&H "Organised Crime", in conjunction with the criminal offense under Article 193 of the CC B&H "Illicit Trafficking in Arms, Military Equipment and Dual Use Goods".

These individuals are suspected to have purchased, transported and resold the weapons as members of an organised criminal group, on the territories of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Federal Republic of Germany and Republic of Serbia, with the aim of acquiring illegal gain during 2015.

The searches resulted in detecting a considerable quantity of weapons, ammunition, explosives and explosive devices, which have been temporarily seized and will serve as evidence in further proceedings.

After criminal processing on SIPA premises, the arrested individuals, along with the report on criminal offence and perpetrators, will be handed over to the Prosecutor’s Office B&H for further proceedings.