Attempts are being made to structure channels for migrant trafficking through the Greek border, but we will not allow this, said the director of the “Border Police” in the “Interview in NOVA News” Anton Zlatanov.
The death of six migrants and three more injured in another police car chase of traffickers reminds us that this problem continues to exist in Bulgaria, and people die in our country.
“There have always been aggressive traffickers, but recently both the organizers and those at the lowest level - the transporters - have become more aggressive,” explained Zlatanov.
According to him, this is due to the full pressure that the police have been putting on them in recent years. They are also nervous about the decreased criminal business, as well as the realization of profits. “But for some, it is due to their mentality and their criminal thinking”.
“I have seen many people in my life who are criminals, their gazes are empty, for them human life means nothing, they do not protect it. The good thing is that the vast majority of society does not encounter such people directly, but in this way cannot accept that they exist”, believes Zlatanov.
He explained that the Romanian driver who participated in the chase with the police is not the organizer of the channel. “He is the lowest level. We are not interested in these levels, we catch them every day”.
According to him, such drivers earn from 100 to 1000 euros per course. “Some of them are mired in debt and this is their way of getting out. There are Bulgarian citizens, others are taken from Moldova, Romania, Georgia, Syria and other countries”, said the director of the “Border Police”.
“Every organized crime group that has formed a channel in the past years has its own model with which to search for people. If it is larger, it even looks for a depot where these drivers can sleep. Then the price becomes more expensive”, he commented.
Zlatanov shared that the goal of the “Border Police” in recent years is to neutralize organized crime groups and their upper levels. “Yesterday we presented another criminal group, they were immediately charged. They used uniforms resembling police uniforms to provide an alibi during a random check.
“We collected enough evidence for the court to leave them in custody with a permanent measure. Every month we neutralize one such channel”, he explained.
“In 2023, we caught 100 people in a truck trailer, there were also tragedies. In 2021 and 2022, the situation with illegal migration in Bulgaria was catastrophic. Since 2023, it has been successful. The general data is that the migration pressure in the country has decreased by 70%”, said Zlatanov.
The director of the “Border Police” shared that there was discussion about whether to close the “Border Police” on the Greek and Romanian borders. “I was very much against it, as were all the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs during that time. Reason prevailed”.
“In the last two months we have had 7 similar cases of disobedience to last night, in which we stop cars with spikes”, explained Zlatanov.
He said that he always regrets when there are human casualties. ”Whatever they are, they are people. We try not to allow it, but first of all we protect the lives and health of our citizens and employees. I am sorry that people died, but they committed a crime by crossing the border, and they are trying to commit more by running over our police officers”.