26/10/2010
Sting operations by Bosnia and Herzegovina police aim to neutralise the country's biggest organised crime groups.
By Jusuf Ramdanovic for Southeast European Times in Sarajevo -- 26/10/10
Sting operations by Bosnia and Herzegovina police aim to neutralise the country's biggest organised crime groups.
By Jusuf Ramdanovic for Southeast European Times in Sarajevo -- 26/10/10
Police in Bosnia and Herzegovina are making inroads against organised crime and a recent sting operation proves it, authorities say.
Zijad Turkovic, alleged ringleader of one of the country's biggest gangs, was arrested last month with nine of his cronies. Police in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) also located two bodies, believed to be those of Bosnian national Mithad Mekic and his pregnant Bolivian girlfriend, Maria Salas-Cortez, on Mt. Bjelasnica near Sarajevo.
They are thought to have been murdered by Turkovic's group.
The same gangsters are under suspicion in three other murder cases in Sarajevo and Mostar. Along with drug smuggling activities, they are believed to have carried out a string of spectacular robberies, including the theft of 1.3m euros from Sarajevo Airport's cargo centre in 2007.
Busting this mob is a "significant achievement, showing the police can tackle the most difficult challenges", FBiH Police Director Zlatko Miletic told SETimes. He said the investigation is ongoing.
Organised Crime Department Chief Edit Vranj said the suspects are "unscrupulous and well organised" and that their reach extends well beyond BiH. He explained the group paid particular attention to establishing strong alibis.
One of the suspects arrested in September is Sasa Stjepanovic, a university-educated crime expert thought to have acted as Turkovic's adviser.
Stjepanovic may have been the brains behind the group's operations, authorities say.
While their colleagues in FBiH were busy reining in Turkovic, police in Republika Srpska (RS) conducted a sting operation of their own. It was aimed at dismantling a cigarette smuggling network that operates throughout the country.
The action was the largest of its kind carried out by RS police.
Cigarette smuggling is a pervasive form of organised crime, through which other high-tariff commodities are also smuggled.
Acting on the state prosecutor's orders, over 300 police officers participated in the sting, aptly dubbed "Tax". They searched more than 60 sites and detained 61 people.
Among the detained are 22 active duty police officials: 14 serve in the police administration in Stolac, seven in Trebinje and one in Capljina.
Zijad Turkovic, alleged ringleader of one of the country's biggest gangs, was arrested last month with nine of his cronies. Police in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) also located two bodies, believed to be those of Bosnian national Mithad Mekic and his pregnant Bolivian girlfriend, Maria Salas-Cortez, on Mt. Bjelasnica near Sarajevo.
They are thought to have been murdered by Turkovic's group.
The same gangsters are under suspicion in three other murder cases in Sarajevo and Mostar. Along with drug smuggling activities, they are believed to have carried out a string of spectacular robberies, including the theft of 1.3m euros from Sarajevo Airport's cargo centre in 2007.
Busting this mob is a "significant achievement, showing the police can tackle the most difficult challenges", FBiH Police Director Zlatko Miletic told SETimes. He said the investigation is ongoing.
Organised Crime Department Chief Edit Vranj said the suspects are "unscrupulous and well organised" and that their reach extends well beyond BiH. He explained the group paid particular attention to establishing strong alibis.
One of the suspects arrested in September is Sasa Stjepanovic, a university-educated crime expert thought to have acted as Turkovic's adviser.
Stjepanovic may have been the brains behind the group's operations, authorities say.
While their colleagues in FBiH were busy reining in Turkovic, police in Republika Srpska (RS) conducted a sting operation of their own. It was aimed at dismantling a cigarette smuggling network that operates throughout the country.
The action was the largest of its kind carried out by RS police.
Cigarette smuggling is a pervasive form of organised crime, through which other high-tariff commodities are also smuggled.
Acting on the state prosecutor's orders, over 300 police officers participated in the sting, aptly dubbed "Tax". They searched more than 60 sites and detained 61 people.
Among the detained are 22 active duty police officials: 14 serve in the police administration in Stolac, seven in Trebinje and one in Capljina.
The officials are suspected of selling information about police patrols in certain locations, which helped the criminal network transport non-customs cleared commodities from Montenegro to BiH through the Bileca border crossing.
Once smuggled, the commodities were stored in the Trebinje area. From there, the commodities were transported across BiH and in select cities in Croatia, mainly Zagreb and Split.
A percentage of the commodities ended up in Germany.
In addition to cigarettes and other high-tariff commodities, police confiscated weapons and cash.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
Once smuggled, the commodities were stored in the Trebinje area. From there, the commodities were transported across BiH and in select cities in Croatia, mainly Zagreb and Split.
A percentage of the commodities ended up in Germany.
In addition to cigarettes and other high-tariff commodities, police confiscated weapons and cash.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
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