Financial Crime World

Crime and Corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH): A 2016 Overview

  • Overall Crime Trend: The total number of registered criminal offenses in BiH decreased by -26.55% between 2012 and 2016.
  • Property Crimes: The number of registered property crimes decreased by -35.50% during the same period.

Organized Crime and Corruption

  • Organized crime is becoming more sophisticated, with a focus on “white-collar” crimes closely linked to corruption.
  • These groups are highly conspiratorial, have an international presence, and often use corrupt officials to achieve their goals.
  • High-Threat Crimes: Crimes rated as high threats include:
    • Abuse of official position or authority
    • Conclusion of harmful contracts
    • Incorporation of harmful contracts
    • Bribery

Money Laundering

  • There were 14 cases of money laundering in the Court of BiH at the end of 2016, with some validly adjudicated by May 2018.
  • Reports and open investigations for these crimes are increasing.

Corruption

  • Corruption is a significant problem in BiH, with:
    • Abuse of official position or authority
    • Misconduct in service
    • Receipt of bribes being common forms of corruption offenses.
  • Organized criminal groups seek to use corruption methods to get protection from prosecution and keep illegally acquired profits.

Transparency International (TI) Assessment

  • BiH ranks 83rd out of 176 countries on the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, with a score of 39 out of 100.
  • TI emphasizes that BiH’s key problem is extreme political corruption, which requires solutions at the level of the political system.

Money Laundering Cases

  • Many cases relate to withdrawing money from legal entities in state ownership, often through fictitious services or overpriced goods and services.

Conclusion

The text highlights the need for reform in BiH’s government structures, particularly in addressing corruption and organized crime.