On 19 October 2026, the Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Department for Legal Aid and Training in Criminal Matters before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, held a training session in Sarajevo at Hotel Radon Plaza, located at 185 Džemala Bijedića Street. The training was organized as part of the continuing professional development of attorneys-at-law under the title “Criminal Offences Against the Economy and the Single Market, and Customs-Related Criminal Offences, with a Focus on the Tobacco Industry, the Trade in Tobacco Products, and Their Impact on Economic Trends.”
The training focused on examining the criminal law and economic aspects of the illicit trade in tobacco products, various forms of smuggling, and the challenges involved in preventing and prosecuting criminal offences in this field.
The training was delivered by Mr. Samir Omerhodžić, External Affairs Manager at Philip Morris International, and Ms. Edina Hubjer, Prosecutor at the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In his presentation, Mr. Samir Omerhodžić examined various forms of smuggling and their impact on the country’s economy, with particular emphasis on the tobacco industry and the trade in tobacco products. The presentation highlighted the importance of combating illicit trade for the functioning of the legitimate market and economic activity, as well as the links between this issue, the protection of public revenue, and the position of businesses operating in compliance with the law.
A special part of the presentation focused on methods of combating smuggling and the experiences of other countries in addressing this phenomenon. An overview of different approaches provided insight into measures aimed at preventing illicit trade and their importance in protecting the tobacco products market.
In her presentation, Prosecutor Edina Hubjer addressed criminal offences against the economy and the single market, as well as customs-related criminal offences, with a focus on the tobacco industry and the trade in tobacco products. She presented the relevant legal framework, with particular emphasis on the provisions of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the criminal offences set out in Chapter XVIII thereof. Her presentation also covered statistical data relating to specific criminal offences and criminal policy in this area.
Prosecutor Hubjer subsequently discussed practical examples and legal issues that have arisen in practice in connection with these criminal offences. By linking the legal framework with specific cases, the presentation examined issues relevant to understanding the constituent elements of these offences and their practical application. These insights are particularly important for attorneys-at-law handling customs-related and economic crime cases.
The training enabled participants to examine the key challenges involved in combating smuggling and the illicit trade in tobacco products through an overview of the legal framework, practical examples, and the experiences of other countries. By combining economic and criminal law perspectives, the training highlighted the importance of these issues for protecting legitimate business activities, the integrity of the single market, and public revenue.
A total of 15 attorneys-at-law from across Bosnia and Herzegovina attended the training session.