SMUGGLING OF 27 FOREIGN NATIONALS FOILED

SARAJEVO, NOVEMBER 5 /SRNA/ - Members of the Border Police of BiH prevented the smuggling of 27 foreign nationals in five separate incidents in the areas of Posušje, Foča, Gradiška and Tomislavgrad.

In the area of Posušje, members of the Gorica Border Police Unit prevented the smuggling of four Turkish nationals and one Somali national yesterday. They were being transported in a Seat vehicle by a Turkish national, the border police agency said.

A day earlier, in the same area, the smuggling of eight Turkish nationals was prevented. They were being transported in a Skoda vehicle by a citizen of BiH.

During a search of the vehicle, officers found a quantity of a substance suspected to be speed and marijuana, and the suspect is also facing charges of possession of and facilitating the use of narcotic drugs.

In the area of Foča, members of the Hum Border Police Unit prevented the smuggling of three Afghan nationals and one Iranian national, who were being transported in a Skoda vehicle by a citizen of BiH.

In Gradiška, the smuggling of two Palestinian nationals, two Egyptian nationals and one Syrian national was prevented. They were being transported in a Golf vehicle by a Turkish national.

During the inspection, the driver offered money to a Border Police officer and is therefore suspected not only of human smuggling but also of offering bribes and other forms of benefit.

The fifth case was uncovered in the area of Tomislavgrad, where the smuggling of five Turkish nationals was prevented after officers spotted the suspected smuggling operation and the driver fled the scene. He was subsequently stopped by members of the Tomislavgrad Police Administration.

They were detained at the scene by members of the Kamensko Border Police Unit, while further operational work established that the driver was a citizen of BiH.

The Prosecutor's Office of BiH was notified of all five cases, and members of the Border Police are acting on its instructions.

The Service for Foreigners' Affairs of BiH was also notified, and further work is underway to investigate these cases.