site.btaFour Human Trafficking Ringleaders Arrested in Special Operation

123 JUSTICE - SPECIAL OPERATION - HUMAN TRAFFICKING RING

Four Human
Trafficking Ringleaders
Arrested in Special Operation


Sofia, July 1 (BTA) - Four human trafficking ringleaders were
arrested in a special operation here, conducted jointly between
the State Agency for National Security (SANS) and the Interior
Ministry on Wednesday, SANS said in a press release.

The suspects were smuggling migrants from the Middle East to
Bulgaria and Western Europe.

The operation prevented a large number of Afghan and Syrian
nationals from being transported, as it was executed during the
preparations for their illegal crossing at the Turkish border,
the Agency said.

The ringleaders are five foreign citizens from Iraq and Syria.
Four were arrested during the operation, while the fifth one is
still at large abroad, where he was recruiting illegal migrants
to be taken to Bulgaria, the press release reads.

The human trafficking ring has accumulated significant finances
from its illegal activities, which posed possible national
security threats due to the risk of penetration by foreigners
from high-risk regions and with potential links to terrorist and
extremist activities. The illegally acquired huge sums of money
are an additional risk factor. The authorities are
investigating whether this money was designated for financing
other criminal activities or terrorism, the Agency said. The
SANS chief has ordered the ringleaders deported and banned from
entering the country for a period of five years.

The operation included searches for illegal immigrants at 17
addresses. A total of 81 foreign citizens were checked, 27 of
whom were found to be in Bulgaria illegally. A total of 20
persons have been taken to police stations so that their
identity can be established. Five children and their parents
have been handed over to the State Agency for Refugees. LI/MY