site.btaFinancial Intelligence Directorate Reports EUR 1.5 Bln Worth of Dubious Transactions in 2023

In 2023, the Financial Intelligence Directorate (FID) at the State Agency for National Security (SANS) received alerts about 4,014 dubious transactions, operations or clients, which was 1,938 fewer than in 2022. After analysis, 397 alerts to the total amount of EUR 1.5 billion were referred to law enforcement authorities, mainly the Ministry of Interior and competent SANS directorates, FID says in its annual report, published on Friday.

Overall, last year FID was notified about 372,012 cash operations worth more than BGN 30,000 each (or the equivalent in foreign currencies) in accordance with the Measures against Money Laundering Act.

Almost 20% of the reports about persons suspected of involvement in money laundering concerned foreign natural persons. The share of Bulgarian natural persons was 40%, and the percentage of Bulgarian single-person limited liability companies (EOOD) was 32%.

Over the years, FID has received enquiries and notifications about cases of fraud from other countries in and outside the European Union, with cases related to cryptocurrency investment becoming increasingly frequent. Some cases involve online gambling, sexual exploitation of children, or trafficking in illicit drugs or human beings, the report says.