Indirect Taxation Authority (ITA) authorised officials, Regional Center Tuzla, Mostar and Banja Luka seized cut tobacco, pistols, textiles, footwear, prescription glasses and thermometers with an estimated value of BAM 574 850.
The ITA officers, in January 2024, conducted several operational activities to prevent smuggling and illegal traffic of excise goods and goods of foreign origin in the area of the regional centers of Tuzla, Mostar and Banja Luka. The activities resulted in the confiscation of large quantities of various types of goods.
Temporarily confiscated textile goods of foreign origin – clothes and shoes, without documentation on procurement, in the value of approx. BAM 18,710 – were found, during the checks carried out in the area of Široki Brijeg. In cooperation with the police officers of the PS Jablanica, on the road Posušje-Jablanica, 50 kg of cut tobacco was found and temporarily confiscated from a natural person in a passenger vehicle, which was not marked with the ITA excise stamps in the prescribed manner, intended for further sale, the estimated value of which is approx. BAM 9,500.
At the Doboj customs office, with the assistance of CO Doboj customs officers, a “Springfield Armory” short firearm was found and confiscated in a shipment of moving goods from the USA. A large amount of goods of foreign origin for which there was no legally prescribed documentation (prescription glasses, thermometers – a total of 5918 pieces) was found and confiscated from a legal entity in the territory of RC Tuzla. In addition, in cooperation with the police officers of the MIA of Republika Srpska, the Doboj PS, on the basis of operational work, confiscated a passenger motor vehicle that was used to commit criminal acts, and for which there was no legally prescribed documentation or proof of the customs procedure. The value of the confiscated items in these operational activities in the area of RC Tuzla is approximately BAM 340 700, on which occasion fines in the amount of BAM 21 000 were imposed.
At the Gradiška customs office, during a detailed inspection of the shipment, it was determined that in addition to the regularly declared goods, the import shipment also contained goods for which import customs documentation was not attached, during which a large amount of undeclared goods (sneakers, video game consoles, etc.) was temporarily confiscated, whose value is estimated at approximately BAM 205,940.
Law-prescribed measures and actions will be taken against the perpetrators of the described illegalities within the framework of misdemeanor or criminal proceedings.
When taking measures within their competence, the ITA authorised officials used specialised equipment, donated by the US Embassy in BiH, through the EXBS Program, as well as by UNDP/UNODC.
The Indirect Taxation Authority of BiH invites all citizens to report any form of customs or VAT evasion, or illegal sale of excise goods, to our open line 080 02 06 07. All calls are free and completely anonymous. Citizens can also send a photo and location where cigarettes and tobacco are illegally sold to Viber number 065 355 155.
