In a Europol-coordinated operation on October 22, 2024, law enforcement authorities in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina arrested 16 individuals involved in a migrant smuggling ring. The suspects are accused of orchestrating at least 12 incidents in which 159 migrants were smuggled from Bosnia and Herzegovina into Croatia, across the river Sava.

Using overcrowded boats, the smugglers placed the migrants in life-threatening conditions, later transporting them hidden in passenger cars and cargo vehicles. From Croatia, the migrants were moved further into the European Union, toward destinations such as Slovenia, Italy, and Germany. The smuggling network is believed to have earned at least EUR 80,000 from these illegal activities.

The simultaneous raids took place in Slavonski Brod, Croatia, and Brod, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The operation yielded significant results:

In Croatia:

• 11 arrests
• 10 house searches
• 10 vehicle searches
• Seizure of a gas pistol, bank cards, 38 mobile phones, 5 tablets, a police-inscribed reflective vest, and an electronic toll device

In Bosnia and Herzegovina:

• 5 arrests
• 5 house searches
• Seizure of EUR 1,500 in cash

Europol provided essential on-the-ground and remote support. Specialists in Ogulin, Croatia, performed cross-checks of suspects, while experts in The Hague offered real-time analytical assistance.

The operation falls under an Operational Task Force (OTF) established in March 2023, involving Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Slovenia, targeting organized criminal networks smuggling migrants along the Western Balkans route.

Authorities involved in the operation include Croatia’s Criminal Police of Brodsko-posavska County, PNUSKOK, and USKOK, alongside Bosnia and Herzegovina’s State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA).