State Department: SIPA Equivalent to the American FBI

The State Department Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs published the 2014 Report. The Report considers B&H primarily a transit country when it comes to trafficking in narcotics. US experts praise the cooperation with B&H police structures but warn that their capacities must be increased.  

The Report mentions the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) as a state-level agency responsible for anti-terrorist actions and as “an equivalent to the American FBI”. It also mentions that the US and SIPA are working on further development of mutual relations and improvement of regional exchange of operational information in relation to drug cases. 

Presentation of SIPA as equal to the FBI by the State Department shows a significance and role of SIPA in the security system of B&H and its reputation outside the country as well as the fact that the Agency, with its dedicated efforts and achievements in combating the most complex types of crime in B&H and beyond, has managed to achieve a respectable reputation worldwide.

SIPA will maintain its reputation and work on its further improvement since the trust it gained creates a continued obligation to persevere in combating the most serious types of crime.