Seven were detained in 24 hours after the action of DANS and the Anti-Corruption Commission in the "Customs" Agency, Nova TV reported, citing sources from the investigation. Among them are Petya Bankova and her deputy Lyudmil Marinov.
We remind you that based on initial information, an organized criminal group is being investigated for smuggling, bribery and money laundering. The investigators searched the homes and offices of the Agency's director Petya Bankova and her deputy. Bankova was brought in for questioning.
In the morning, the investigators entered to search both the home and the office of the headmistress. Before she was taken for questioning, Bankova assumed that the chairman of DANS Plamen Tonchev, with whom she had a bad relationship, was behind the special operation. Bankova is his former employee.
„A few years ago, Plamen Tonchev, using the mechanism typical for them, decided that he would send me to work in Blagoevgrad. This is their main scheme – when someone gets in their way, they dispatch him. As a result, I said that I will not fulfill their orders and I officially left DANS”, said the head of the Agency" Customs".
The head of the Agency, Plamen Tonchev, was not available for comment. According to Bankova's lawyer, notes about contraband channels were seized from her office. “Seized notes on contraband channels, how to crack them. As well as her office computer," pointed out Petya Bankova's lawyer - Adelina Natina.
„I strongly hope that this action is not aimed at the effective work of Bankova. Since she became head of the Customs Agency, record amounts of drugs have been seized, including 170 kg of heroin. On a signal from the Austrian government, 20 customs officers were dismissed. The heads of shifts and points where there is smuggling were changed. There are now customs officers from the USA at the border crossing “Captain Andreevo” and in Burgas, we expect customs officers from England as well", said the resigned finance minister.
There were investigators at several other addresses in Sofia, including a hotel in the "Lozenets" district. “The check was directed at a hotel guest who was checked in on Tuesday. Law enforcement only spoke to him without disturbing other hotel guests. The person's car was searched in the parking lot. The guest is a male Bulgarian citizen,” said the hotel manager in Sofia, Kaloyan Nikolov.
Searches were also conducted at addresses in Haskovo and Svilengrad. According to unofficial information, at least five addresses were subject to inspection by the State Customs Service and the Anti-Corruption Commission on the territory of Haskovo.
Three locations were searched on the territory of Svilengrad. All of them are related in some way to former employees of the "Customs" Agency. Gendarmerie teams remained at two of the addresses throughout the day.
The office of her deputy Ludmil Marinov was also searched. The head of customs denied knowing former customs official Nikolay Nikolov – Pascal. The initial information was that the investigation was related to him and through what connections the smuggling was carried out.
„I don't know Pascal, I don't even know who he is. I want to stop smuggling, which is currently hindering our entire country,” added Bankova.
Bankova headed customs less than two months ago, as part of outgoing finance minister Asen Vassilev's intention to merge the structure with the NRA.