OPERATION BEGINS IN BOSNIA TO BREAK MAJOR SMUGGLING CHAIN

( Editorial: --> 7192 ) SARAJEVO, Oct 9 (Hina) - The customs administrations of Bosnia's two entities this week commenced a major operation aimed at breaking an organised crime chain responsible for numerous cases of smuggling into Bosnia-Herzegovina (BH). The customs administrations of the Bosnian Serb entity (Republika Srpska - RS) and the Croat-Muslim Federation of BH undertook the operation in cooperation with the European Union's Customs and Fiscal Assistance Office (CAFAO). Local authorities on Tuesday in the Federation, and on Thursday in RS, began confiscating trucks and arresting drivers beyond doubt proven to be part of a well-organised smuggling chain, CAFAO director for BH Allan Jensen told reporters in Sarajevo. He said an investigation conducted in the last six months proved that 900 trucks had transported various goods without paying customs fees, which resulted in customs embezzlement worth at least DEM40 million. To date authorities in both entities confiscated 28 trucks and arrested 29 drivers who are currently questioned by customs authorities and the finance police. The CAFAO believes some local customs employees were involved in the smuggling chain, but an investigation in the matter is still in course and no arrests have been made so far. We assume one or two persons are behind the smuggling chain, an unidentified CAFAO investigator told reporters. The CAFAO estimates that every year goods are smuggled into BH with unpaid customs fees between DEM100 million and DEM 200 million. This week's operation focuses on the surveillance of border crossings in Orasje and Brcko, northern BH. The drivers of some of the 900 mentioned trucks would usually report in Orasje that they were driving goods into Republika Srpska, while those in Brcko said they were headed for the BH Federation, but they regularly failed to show up at stated border crossings. Some drivers would later bring certificates on paid customs fees, but later investigation proved them to be forged. According to Jensen, most of the goods ended on market places such as the "Arizona" on the border between Bosnia's two entities where there is no legal control whatsoever. Most of the smuggling trucks were registered in BH, but 30 percent had licence plates of Croatia, the rest of Slovenia. The drivers were Croatian, Slovene or Bosnian citizens of various ethnic belonging. The operation could not have been carried out without full cooperation from the customs administrations in both entities which was in this case excellent, said Jensen. (hina) ha 091741 MET oct 98