site.btaWeapons, Cigarettes Seized in Police Operations

Weapons, Cigarettes Seized in Police Operations

Sofia, November 20 (BTA) - In two operations the Interior Ministry, the Chief Directorate for Fighting Organized Crime (CDFOC) and the Specialized Prosecution Office seized over 60 weapons and some 900 master cases of cigarettes. The Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Georgi Kostov, CDFOC Chief Commissioner Ivailo Spiridonov and Ivan Geshev, Administrative Head of the Specialized Prosecution Office shared information on the raids.

Pre-trial proceedings on charges of acquisition, possession and sale of fire arms have been launched against six participants in a criminal group. Searches of seven addresses were performed. The items found include pistols, bullets, large amounts of cash and coins of presumable numismatic value, said Geshev.

Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Kostov noted that this has been the largest such operation in Bulgaria's history. The weapons were probably meant to be smuggled out of the country.

Within the second operation, the police detained a criminal group for trade in excise duties without a duty stamp operating since the beginning of 2016. Charges have been pressed against seven persons. Some 900 master cases of cigarettes were found in a warehouse in a Sofia neighbourhood. The cigarettes were covered with pampers packs.

Some of the detainees are foreign persons.