On a Europol-coordinated action day conducted on 22 October 2024 in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, law enforcement authorities from both countries arrested 16 migrant smugglers. The suspects are believed to be responsible for at least 12 incidents that saw a total of at least 159 migrants being smuggled from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Croatia across the river Sava, according to Europol.
Croatia:
- 11 arrests
- 10 house searches
- 10 vehicle searches
- One gas pistol
- Bank cards, 38 mobile phones, 5 tablet computers
- A reflective vest with the inscription “Police” and an electronic toll device for the use on highways
Bosnia and Herzegovina:
- 5 arrests
- 5 house searches
- EUR 1,500 in cash
Europol’s support
At the request of the involved partners, Europol provided on-the-spot support by deploying specialists based in Ogulin, Croatia, to the raids in Slavonski Brod, where they performed cross-checks for persons, phone numbers and other information. Europol’s experts also supported the action day remotely from the Agency’s Headquarters in The Hague, providing analytical support in real time.
This operation was conducted under the framework of an Operational Task Force (OTF) established in March 2023. It involves law enforcement authorities from Croatia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and focuses on migrant smuggling organised criminal networks active on the Western Balkans route. Europol has been supporting this OTF and its members through analytical and operational support as well as financial support. Relying on Europol’s Secure Information Exchange Network Application, the involved authorities can communicate securely with each other.
Photo: europol
