Bosnian authorities expelled an Iraqi S.J. Suspected of migrant smuggling along the Western Balkan route after locating and apprehending him in a joint operation between several law enforcement agencies in Sarajevo Canton, Service for Foreigners' Affairs (SPS) said on Saturday.

Based on operational data collected by inspectors for foreigners, SPS inspectors, members of the Sarajevo Canton's Interior Ministry and in cooperation with the Intelligence and Security Agency (OSA BiH), an Iraqi citizen, S.J., was located in the Sarajevo municipality of Stari Grad on Friday and taken to the SPS office.

The suspect was found to pose a threat to Bosnia's public order and security due to his connection with organized crime, which is why he was sentenced to expulsion from the country and placed under supervision at the immigration centre.

The said suspect is a person who is one of the leading organizers in the chain of international smuggling of migrants on the Western Balkan route.

During the joint operation, another 14 foreign nationals were found, who were brought in contact with the mentioned person, and due to their illegal stay in the country, they too were ordered to be expelled from Bosnia and placed under supervision, in order to create all the necessary conditions for their expulsion.