World News | US Slaps Sanctions on Bosnia's Former Intelligence Chief
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. The U.S. government imposed sanctions Wednesday on the former head of Bosnia's state security agency, accusing him of misusing state resources for the benefit of his political party and collaborating with criminal networks to enrich himself.
Sarajevo, Mar 15 (AP) The U.S. government imposed sanctions Wednesday on the former head of Bosnia's state security agency, accusing him of misusing state resources for the benefit of his political party and collaborating with criminal networks to enrich himself.
The Treasury Department alleged that Osman Mehmedagic misused his position to instruct a state-owned telecom company to collect cellular activity of politicians not affiliated with the SDA party.
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Treasury said in a statement that Mehmedagic also “has used his position, threats and connections” to sway candidates from an alliance of parties that defeated his party in general elections last October to support the SDA during ensuing coalition talks.
“There is also credible information that Mehmedagic has collaborated with criminal networks to enrich himself and his political party,” the statement added.
Mehmedagic was replaced as head of the state security agency last month after more than 7 years on the post.
Also Wednesday, the Treasury Department levied sanctions on Edin Gacanin, born in Bosnia but raised in the Netherlands, accusing him of being “one of the world's most prolific drug traffickers.”
Treasury said Gacanin was the leader of the Tito and Dino Cartel, “which includes his family members and his friends” from Bosnia and also engages in money laundering.
The sanctions against Gacanin, it added, were closely coordinated with the U.S Drug Enforcement Administration, the European Union's Europol agency, and the governments of The Netherlands, France and Belgium.
Any property or interest belonging to the sanctioned individuals in the United States is blocked and must be reported. (AP)
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)