site.btaFive People Detained After Raid on Migrant Trafficking Group

The Sofia City Prosecutor's Office charged five people after a joint specialized operation with the Directorate General for Combating Organized Crime (DGCOC) in the line of organized crime and human trafficking, the Interior Ministry said on Friday.

The Thursday raid involved searches and seizures at numerous addresses, motor vehicles and searches of persons in Sofia. Documents and other material evidence were collected. 

One of the accused has been held criminally responsible as the head of an organized criminal group, while the others have been charged as participants. According to the indictment, the group operated in Sofia and the country and was established for a selfish purpose - to profit from migrant trafficking.

All the detainees remain in custody for 72 hours and the prosecution service will seek permanent detention for them.