In the ongoing investigation into human trafficking for the sexual exploitation of underage girls, four additional people were arrested, most of whom were police officers. This case has disturbed the public and raised questions about trust in the functioning of the system. The report examines what has been done so far, and where the investigation is heading.
Two more police officers have been charged, including police officers Emir Kadrić and Ismet Hujdur from Kalesija, Almir Hodžić from Živinice, and Mirsad Jagodić from Banovići. So far, out of 12 arrested individuals, indictments have been raised against eight of them.
“Five people are accused of recruiting, transporting, and hiding these girls, and handing them over for sexual exploitation through prostitution, while another seven are suspected of sexually exploiting the girls and paying for it, despite knowing they were victims of human trafficking and minors,” said Admir Arnautović, spokesperson for the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office in Tuzla Canton.
Although the girls were exploited for prostitution, what further disturbed the public in this case is that most of those arrested are police officers. The Police Administration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tuzla Canton stated that, in addition to general and special conditions, before admission to the service, candidates undergo an integrity check to ensure they have not committed a criminal offense or been punished for disturbing public peace and order through violence.
“It is checked that the candidate has not been punished for transgressions in traffic violations under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or other intoxicating substances, and that he is not a person prone to misconduct or who possesses traits and characteristics that could prevent him from performing this kind of work, making him unfit for service in the police force,” said Adnana Sprečić, spokesperson for the Police Administration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tuzla Canton.
In addition, after being admitted to the service, police officers are subject to ongoing supervision by their immediate supervisors. The Police Administration also includes a unit for organizational standards responsible for monitoring and supervising the work of police officers and responding to all reports of potential illegal behavior or misconduct.
Despite these checks, in a case involving human trafficking for the sexual exploitation of two minor girls, most of those arrested are police officers from Tuzla Canton.
“An internal investigation has been launched. Disciplinary proceedings against all these officers have been initiated. The Director of the Police Administration, in accordance with our deadlines for actions by the Professional Standards Unit, has issued a decision on the temporary suspension of all the aforementioned police officers,” said Adnana Sprečić.
The Coordinating Team for the Fight against Human Trafficking is also involved in uncovering cases of prostitution. They state that obtaining information is very difficult, as individuals who have such information are afraid to report it and later testify due to fear of retaliation.
“Those are different types of pressure from potential exploiters, and all of them fear for their lives and health. It is very difficult to obtain any information from the Prosecutor’s Office for it to be classified as human trafficking,” said Nedeljko Jurkić, Coordinator of the Mobile and Identification Team for Combating.
Social welfare centers face challenges accommodating victims of prostitution, especially minors, as available spaces are limited and there is no alternative facility to care for children with behavioral disorders, which is often the case here. The investigation into the human trafficking case, in which two underage girls were sexually exploited, is ongoing, and at this time it is not known how many people are involved.
