A Bosnian father and son involved in the trafficking of heroin from Sarajevo to Sweden have been sentenced to 10 years in prison each. Sakib Zeba, the owner of Zeba tours from Sarajevo and his son, Damir, were convicted of drug smuggling and sentenced on January 27 to 10 years in prison by a court in Malmö, Sweden. Goran Ćalov, earlier identified as a citizen of the former Serbia and Montenegro, was sentenced to 14 years. They were arrested at the end of 2007 and found with 12 kilograms of heroin by police who were monitoring a Zeba tour bus and moved in when it reached the central Swedish city Norrkoping, home to many Bosnian refugees. Two Serbians and a Finish citizen were also arrested.
A three-month investigation last year by the the Center for Investigative Reporting found that Sarajevo has become a major warehousing and transshipment center for Afghan heroin. The trade is run by Kosovar Albanian, Montenegrin and Serbian organized crime groups. CIN found that Bosnians living abroad are often used as drug mules to carry the drugs to Bosnian communities. Dozens of Bosnian citizens are currently serving time in foreign jails for their roles in the trade.
Sakib and Damir Zeba are awaiting transfer to the prison where they will serve their sentence, although under Swedish law, they are allowed to appeal their verdict. If their sentences are upheld, they must serve them and then must leave Sweden.
Swedish police arrested Damir Zeba on the bus that runs between BiH and Sweden. Another four men were arrested that day. Sakib Zeba was arrested when he went to Sweden to help his son.
