Orahovo: Five Police Officers Referred to Prosecutors
The suspects allegedly told drivers at traffic stops that they had a violation on record and offered to erase it for cash, the Republika Srpska Interior Ministry said.
In neighboring Republika Srpska, five police officers from the Orahovo station near Gradiska have been referred to the Banja Luka District Public Prosecutor’s Office, along with a report of abuse of official position or authority, it was announced on October 27. The case is the outcome of Operation Terminal, carried out jointly by the Organized and Serious Crime Department of the Republika Srpska Interior Ministry, the Gradiska Police Administration and the Banja Luka District Public Prosecutor’s Office.
What are the suspects accused of?
According to a statement from the Republika Srpska Interior Ministry, between September 16 and October 26, 2026, the suspects misled drivers during traffic stops by claiming that a violation they had supposedly committed was recorded in ministry databases. They then offered to delete the entry for money. The ministry said in its statement:
“The investigation produced grounds for suspicion that, during stops of road users, they misled drivers by claiming that they were listed in the official records of the Republika Srpska Interior Ministry as violators. On those occasions they demanded and accepted unlawful financial gain in return for sparing them from sanctions for violations they had not even committed and for deleting them from the official records.”
The statement was also carried by ATV. According to that broadcaster’s unofficial information, drivers paid anywhere from 20 convertible marks to 100 euros for one “deleted violation,” depending on the situation. The ministry has not confirmed that amount.
Who are the suspects?
Five men from Gradiska were referred. RTRS gave only initials and birth years: S.B. (1979), S.V. (1976), S.S. (1996), G.M. (1972) and H.I. (1979). ATV reports that the commander of the Orahovo station is among them. All five have been suspended, and an internal proceeding has been opened against them within the ministry. They are presumed innocent until a final verdict.
What was seized in the searches?
Searches of locations used by the suspects led to the temporary seizure of:
- 24,440 euros, 38,330 convertible marks and 200 Swiss francs
- mobile phones and notebooks
- a copy of an official ID card
- name tags bearing the names of other police officers
- USB drives
- a pistol and a small quantity of ammunition
The statement does not say where the drivers were stopped or how many of them were affected, so that part of the story remains open.
What happens next?
The responsible prosecutor will question the suspects. After the questioning, as the investigation continues, the prosecutor will decide whether to propose detention, and the public will be informed.
