The EUROPOL operation in the territory of BiH was coordinated by the Directorate for the Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH.
EUROPOL supported a global operation to combat human trafficking conducted by 59 countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, which resulted in the discovery of 2,070 potential victims and the arrest of 1,024 suspects, 334 of whom are suspected of human trafficking. A further 201 individuals suspected of human trafficking were identified as part of ongoing investigations. The operation, codenamed “GLOBAL CHAIN,” targeted human trafficking for sexual exploitation, forced crime, and begging, with a special focus on minor victims.
This year's operation was carried out from June 8 to 12, 2026, with the coordination and support of EUROPOL, FRONTEX, and INTERPOL. The goal was to uncover and combat criminal activities related to human trafficking, identify the individuals involved, launch investigations against organized criminal groups, and protect potential victims. The operation was conducted under EMPACT, with Austria and Romania leading the activities.
Overall results of the action:
1,024 arrests (334 for human trafficking and 690 for other crimes);
2,070 identified victims and potential victims of human trafficking (1,908 adults and 162 minors);
201 additional suspects identified;
465 new investigations opened;
80 cases of forged documents.
The results of the investigations indicate that the vast majority of victims are adult women who are trafficked for sexual exploitation (88%, with 9% for forced labor, 2% for forced begging, and 1% for commission of crimes). The exploitation of minor victims is mainly linked to forced begging and forced criminality, such as pickpocketing. In many of these cases, providing protection for the victims can be a challenge because they are often exploited by family members.
More than 40,000 officers from 59 different countries participated in the operation, including law enforcement agencies, border police, labor inspections, and tax and customs services. Reports of potential victims came from 45 countries, with the largest number coming from Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, Nepal, and Moldova. Many victims were trafficked across national borders, and even continents, indicating the global nature of human trafficking networks.
To further enhance cross-border and intercontinental cooperation, two coordination centers have been established. One coordination center was established in Skopje, North Macedonia, with the participation of a representative from Bosnia and Herzegovina, covering participating countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa, while the other was established by AMERIPOL in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to coordinate activities in the Americas. EUROPOL deployed human trafficking experts to both coordination centers, bridging operational activities between the continents and coordinating simultaneous actions against the organized crime networks involved in these activities.
Each participating country conducted targeted operations in its own jurisdictions and effectively shared intelligence through the coordination centers established in Skopje and Rio de Janeiro. This integrated, multinational, and multi-agency approach was crucial for successfully dismantling the criminal networks and identifying the victims.
With the aim of successfully conducting this international operational action in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from June 8 to 12, 2026, a National Coordination Center was established at the level of the Directorate for the Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH, which coordinated all activities in our country, along with the Central Coordination Center in Skopje. Representatives of the competent authorities in BiH participated in the work of the National Coordination Center.
Fifteen law enforcement agencies in BiH participated in the operational action (Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH, State Investigation and Protection Agency, BiH Border Police, Service for Foreigners Affairs, Federal Police Administration, Brčko District Police, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tuzla Canton, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Zenica-Doboj Canton, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Sarajevo Canton, Ministry of the Interior of Kanton 10, Ministry of the Interior of Posavski Canton, Ministry of the Interior of Unsko-Sanski Canton, Ministry of the Interior of Central Bosnia Canton, and Ministry of the Interior of West Herzegovina Canton), with the active participation of the Prosecutor's Office of BiH and the Contact Point for Cooperation between BiH and EUROPOL.
All involved bodies acted in accordance with their scope of work and legal authorities, coordinating their activities with the National Coordination Center of the Directorate.
During the operation, 5,122 officers from 15 law enforcement agencies were deployed, and 356 checkpoints were established at targeted hotspots throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. As part of these activities, 9,282 individuals, 10,433 vehicles, 170 locations, and 69 aircraft were checked. As a result of these activities, 11 potential victims of human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation were detected (citizens of BiH, China, and Brazil), and four individuals were arrested.
During the operation, protected channels of EUROPOL, INTERPOL, and SELEC were used, which enabled the rapid and efficient exchange of information and cross-checks at the national and international level. During this operational action, the Directorate once again confirmed its indispensable coordinating role in the security sector of BiH, as well as its role as the single point of contact for international operational police cooperation.
Activities under Operation Global Chain are supported by the EU4FAST project – EU support for strengthening the fight against migrant smuggling and human trafficking in the Western Balkans.