site.btaAnti-Organized Crime Directorate Reports on Activity in 2017

Sofia, March 31 (BTA) - "The General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime is going on the right track," said Interior Minister Chief Secretary Mladen Marinov and Ivan Geshev, head of the specialized prosecution, during a new briefing to report on the Directorate's activity in 2017.

In 2017, the unit dismantled 109 organized crime groups. Pretrial proceedings increased by 177 per cent. Completed proceedings also went up by 187 per cent along with charges to 860 from 437 in 2016, or up by 97 per cent.

Specialized operations decreased by 17.6 per cent to 220 in 2017 from 267 in 2016.

Ninety participants in corruption schemes were detained and over 1 million leva were seized. The unit carried out checks into 328 case files in connection with money laundering and mismanagement of EU funds and the prosecution service was alerted about 63 cases. The unit established detriment for over 23 million leva, 16.2 million euro and 15.7 million dollars.

In 19 operations against contraband some 9.9. million pieces of cigarettes, 3.7 tonnes of tobacco, 12,000 litres of spirits and wine and 1.5 t of diesel fuels were seized. The unit uncovered losses worth nearly 37.4 million leva and a little over of 363,000 euro in VAT fraud. Some 2,189 counterfeit euro banknotes were seized, a counterfeit money operation and two channels for trafficking counterfeit notes were intercepted.

Partnership with foreign services has contributed to efforts against trans-border organized crime. In 2017 the unit participated in 11 team investigations: six against human trafficking, two against counterfeit operations, and one each against computer hacking, cigarette contraband and terrorism.

In 2018 the unit will focus on measures to counter insurance and customs crimes, corruption, money laundering, mismanagement of national and EU funds, trafficking of humans, valuables and drugs, and efforts against cyber crime, terrorism threats and illegal migration.