site.btaInterior Ministry Found 61 Money Mules and 39 Illegal Transactions Amounting to 1,032,238 Euro and 326,023 USD

December 6 (BTA) - The Bulgarian law enforcement
authorities have identified 61 "money mules", 44 victims of
illegal activity and found a total of 39 fraudulent financial
transactions amounting to 1,032,238 Euro and 326,023 USD, the
Ministry said on Friday.

The operation in Bulgaria was part of the Fifth European Money
Mule Action (EMMA 5), carried out in November. "Money mules" are
 people who take part - often unknowingly - in money laundering
activities by receiving and transferring illegally obtained
money between bank accounts and/or countries.

The Action was organized by the European Cybercrime Centre and
the European Union's Judicial Cooperation Unit (Eurojust), with
the partnership of the European Banking Federation (EBF), and
carried out in 31 countries in Europe and in the USA.

Some 3,833 money mules were identified, along with 386
recruiters, and 228 people were arrested. At least 4,700 victims
 have been identified as well. The authorities have opened 1,025
 investigations, many of which are still ongoing. Over 650
banks, 17 bank associations and other financial institutions
helped report 7,250 fraudulent transactions through money mules,
 preventing a total loss of 12.9 million euro. RI/MT


/СН/