Several police officials, including a former anti-corruption task force head, and an ex-lawmaker are among eight men arrested in Bosnia for allegedly sexually exploiting two underage girls from an orphanage in Tuzla. The suspects are accused of human trafficking for sexual exploitation, with some allegedly profiting from the girls' abuse.

Prosecutors in Tuzla Canton have sought pretrial detention for the eight suspects, who were arrested on charges of human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. According to the indictment, a police inspector is accused of orchestrating and profiting from a trafficking network that exploited two girls born in 2009. He allegedly collaborated with the chief of the Criminal Police Department in Živinice, who also led the drafting of the canton's anti-corruption strategy, along with six other men, including a former state lawmaker and university professor.

The group is accused of recruiting, transporting, and hiding the girls between April 2024 and July 2025. The victims were allegedly coerced into prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation. Some suspects are also accused of personally paying for sexual services, with the police inspector allegedly taking a share of the money earned by the girls.

Admir Arnautović, spokesman for the Tuzla Canton Prosecutor's Office, stated that the suspects exploited the girls' helplessness. "The suspects exploited their helplessness and used those escapes to recruit, hide and sell them for sexual services. They also personally used and paid for those services," he explained. He added that those convicted of trafficking minors face 10 to 20 years in prison, while paying for sex with minors carries a sentence of six months to five years.

All police officers involved in the case have been temporarily suspended. Reports indicate that the police inspector had previously faced scrutiny 15 years ago for a forged diploma, though the reasons for his continued employment remain unclear.

News of the alleged exploitation has sparked outrage among citizens, with calls for a peaceful protest march to demand accountability and the resignation of officials implicated in oversight failures. The investigation into the case is ongoing.

This incident follows separate revelations in 2019 where a Bosnian legislator shared disturbing photos of children tied up in a care home, highlighting systemic issues within the country's child protection system. The earlier case involved allegations of "modern slavery" at the Pazaric Institute for special-needs children, leading to investigations and calls for reform of the child-care system.