SIPA

Early this morning (11/2/2016), police officials of the State Investigation and Protection Agency have started the operation codenamed “Lištica” in the area of Grude, Široki Brijeg, Čitluk, Zenica and Sarajevo.

The activities are being carried out upon orders of the Court B&H and Prosecutor’s Office B&H in cooperation with the Indirect Taxation Authority B&H, Sarajevo Canton MoI, Herzegovina-Neretva Canton MoI, West Herzegovina Canton MoI and Zenica Doboj Canton MoI.

Searches of facilities in 25 locations are underway as well as apprehension of several suspects due to grounded suspicion of having committed the criminal offence of organised crime in conjunction with criminal offence of illicit trade in excise goods, unauthorised storage of goods, tax evasion or frauds and money laundering. Over three tons of cut tobacco have been found and sized so far while searches in majority of locations are still underway.

Members of the organised criminal group are suspected of having acquired unlawful property gain in the period from November 2015 until February 2016 by unlawful purchase, manufacturing and cutting of tobacco as well as unlawful sale of considerable quantities of cut tobacco to resellers and end users around B&H having failed to pay  mandatory excise duties and VAT.

It is estimated that they have sold, through their illicit activities, at least 55 tons of tobacco in the period of three months thus having caused the damage to the B&H budget amounting to around 7.850.000 BAM and acquired unlawful gain of over 1.200.000 BAM.

The operation is preceded by an intensive criminal investigation carried out by SIPA investigators under supervision of the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H aimed at documenting illicit activities of the suspects.

Further information will be available during the day.