Police and the USKOK anti-corruption office confirmed Monday's arrests and urgent collection of evidence in the continuation of an investigation being carried out in cooperation with the police anti-corruption office PNUSKOK into illegal gas sales.

According to unofficial information, the manager of Ina’s Gas and Energy Sales Stjepan Leko, who was the deputy of the previously arrested INA executive Damir Skugor, and Vlado Mandic, director of EVN Croatia Plin, which was one of the four major suppliers to which INA sold gas, were arrested. One of those suppliers was the Plinara Istocne Slavonia, whose former director Marija Ratkic is already under investigation.

Without disclosing the identities of the suspects or the circumstances of the case, USKOK reported that the arrests and urgent collection of evidence are being carried out in Zagreb and that they concern several persons who are suspected of abuse of trust in business operations, aiding and abetting in that crime and money laundering.

The Police Directorate confirmed that two people were arrested during the morning who are under criminal investigation and that evidence is being collected. The police added that once their job is completed, the suspects will be placed in custody.

Prosecutors said that after the suspects are questioned, a decision will be made on any further action and that the public will be informed in due course.

The media has reported that Leko, as Skugor’s deputy, was questioned as a witness regarding the circumstances of the sale of gas during a previously launched investigation.

The former INA executive Skugor, his father, the former president of the Croatian Bar Association, Josip Surjak, and his business partner Goran Husic, and Ratkic were arrested on suspicion of defrauding INA of HRK 1 billion.

Prosecutors suspect they bought gas from Ina for €19.5 and resold it for €200 per megawatt-hour and that Skugor and his father illegally gained nearly 500 million kuna, Husic over 90 million kuna and Surjak 68.9 million kuna. Over 200 million kuna in illegal gain remains in the account of the OMS company, co-owned by Surjak and Husic.

Skugor has been remanded in custody, while the other four suspects have been released.