site.btaSvilengrad Customs Chief Arrested on Corruption Allegations

Svilengrad Customs Chief  Arrested on Corruption Allegations


Sofia, January 29 (BTA) - Todor Karaivanov, the Customs director
in Svilengrad (Southern Bulgaria), was arrested for bribery by
the State Agency for National Security (SANS) on Wednesday
evening, SANS said in a press release Thursday. Karaivanov
resisted the arrest.

Karaivanov was arrested in a joint operation of SANS and the
Sofia City Prosecution Office carried out by the Specialised
Unit for Combating Corruption. The operation was undertaken
under pretrial proceedings initiated by the Supreme Prosecutor's
Office of Cassation on the Prosecutor General's decree. Prime
Minister Boyko Borissov was informed about the operation.

On Wednesday, Karaivanov received two bribes within half an
hour: one amounting to 600 leva and another to 600 euro. He was
arrested on the crime scene after the receipt of the second
bribe.

A search in Karaivanov's cabinet at the Svilengrad Customs
building found the bribe of 600 leva and over 12,000 euro.
Another 6,000 leva were found in his outer garments at his home,
as well as three sacks of customs documents. Many wintesses
have been interrogated, the SANS said.

Karaivanov will be detained for 72 hours after which custody
will be demanded.

Reportedly, Karaivanov held marked banknotes. The bribe has been
linked to smuggling through the Kapitan Andreevo checkpoint on
the border with Turkey.

Darik Radio reported that the Customs Agency had not been
informed about the SANS operation and its Director Vanyo Tanov
was unavailable for comment.

Karaivanov was appointed acting director of the Svilengrad
Customs last autumn and was recently given an award for his
professionalism.