SIPA

A years-long investigation of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) and other partner agencies in Bosnia and Herzegovina resulted in issuance of the indictment by the B&H Prosecutor's Office Special Department for Organised Crime, Economic Crime and Corruption within the case codenamed 'Lutka' against 32 individuals, members of the organised criminal group of Darko Elez, which was confirmed by the B&H Court on 4/9/2013.

 Due to disturbed mutual criminal relations and desire for domination over the territory as well as passivity of police and judicial institutions the organised criminal groups were established in the areas of Sarajevo and Istočno Sarajevo in 2004 onwards. These organised criminal groups, with their brutality, unscrupulousness and organisation, surpassed previously known ways of criminal operations. In a short time period all that resulted in numerous aggravated murders, robberies, extortions, causing general danger, violent behaviour and other criminal activities.

At the beginning of 2006, after a dramatic appeal by the Management Board of the District Prosecutor's Office in Istočno Sarajevo, and at the initiative of the State Investigation and Protection Agency, the joint investigation teams (JIT) were established. The JITs were composed of the best investigators from the State Investigation and Protection Agency, Republic of Srpska Ministry of Interior and Sarajevo Canton Ministry of Interior.

The years-long exhausting joint investigations within the cases code named „Jahorina“, „Kargo“ and „Lutka“ resulted in disruption of the organised criminal groups of Đorđe Ždrale, Zijad Turković and Darko Elez as well as brining their organisers before the B&H judicial institutions that prosecuted them or the criminal proceedings are about to be carried out against them for perpetrated criminal offences.
The work in the case codenamed „Lutka“ continuously lasted as of 2006, and included the collection of relevant operational data and evidence, crime scene investigations and interviewing a number of aggrieved individuals and witnesses. As of May 2012, the work in this case was intensified and the investigative authorities managed to penetrate the criminal group as well as collect irrefutable evidence based on which the operation carried out on 12/9/2012 was planned.
This operation, which was carried out in the entire territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina and involved over three hundred police officials of SIPA, RS MoI and Sarajevo Canton and Brčko District MoIs, resulted in 28 searches of facilities and apprehension of 22 individuals brought into connection with perpetration of criminal offences of murders of Boris Govedarica, Vlatko Mačar, Milan Vlaškić and Rade Magazin, attempted murder of Đorđe Ždrale, robberies of PBS Bank and BH Pošta, causing general danger, money laundering and other criminal offences provided for by the criminal laws of B&h and Entities.
Within the subsequent actions of police officials of SIPA, RS MoI, and Sarajevo Canton MoI and in cooperation with the Prosecutor’s Office of B&H, ten more individuals were arrested and a murder of Zoran Golub in Istočno Sarajevo, robbery of a money transport of Pavlovic International Bank in Han Pijesak as well as robbery of money from Istočno Sarajevo branch of Nova Banka a.d. Bijeljina were resolved.

We point out that the organised criminal group of Darko Elez was operating for many years in Bosnia and Herzegovina and countries in the region committing numerous criminal offences on a daily basis and acquiring a large material gain which enabled them to exert their influence on the state and local government structures as well as the individuals from police institutions and media. All that turned this group into one of the most organised criminal groups in the region and beyond. This criminal group was strengthening every day standing out in its brutality and unscrupulousness, and threatening to rise above the system and cause serious consequences for the security of citizens and society as a whole.
The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina confirmed the indictment in the case against Darko Elez and others on 4/9/2013. It is important to emphasize that SIPA with this operation struck a severe blow to the organised crime in Bosnia and Herzegovina and that the largest organised criminal group was dismantled in the post –Dayton Bosnia and Herzegovina.

For a chronology of events, click here.