Bosnian Border Police officers prevented on Monday the smuggling of 30 citizens of the Republic of Turkey at the Samac border crossing, on border with Croatia. The illegal migrants were detected in the cargo area of a truck with Croatian plates, which was transporting wood assortment from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Germany, according to Anadolu Agency.

The illegal migrants were detected in the cargo space of a truck with Croatian plates, which was transporting wood assortment from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Germany, according to Anadolu Agency.

“It is a cargo motor vehicle owned by a legal entity, which was driven by S.M. (1970), a citizen of the Republic of Croatia, who tried to illegally transfer Turkish citizens who did not meet the conditions for legal border crossing in the cargo area of a cargo motor vehicle across the state border, with the intention of obtaining illegal property benefits for himself,” said the Border Police of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Due to suspicion that he committed the criminal offense of people smuggling, the Croatian citizen was apprehended and interrogated as a suspect.

“In line with order of the prosecutor of the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the cargo motor vehicle with trailer, money and other items that can be connected with the execution of the criminal offense were temporarily confiscated,” the statement said.

During the operation, Border Police officers used special equipment donated by the Government of the Great Britain and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Turkish citizens were handed over to the Foreigners’ Affairs Service of Bosnia and Herzegovina for further procedures.