Three men have been detained in a specialized police operation. An illegal arsenal of firearms, ammunition and explosives was discovered in Pernik region, the press center of the Ministry of Interior's Regional Office in Pernik announced.
The investigation began in March after a theft in Blagoevgrad of money, jewelry and other items worth around 45,000 euros. The forensic experts have identified a 53-year-old man from the village of Ravno Pole and two 45-year-old men from Sofia as accomplices.
During searches of five addresses in the village of Ravno Pole, Sofia and the town of Batanovtsi, three compressed TNT, checkers with powder, capsule and electric detonators, numerous pistols, a machine gun, a hunting weapon, silencers and a large amount of ammunition were seized. Radio stations, a stun gun, tools and other equipment were also found.
In the village of Ravno Pole, bags matching the description of the items taken during the theft were found. During searches in the capital's "Lyulin" district, mobile phones, bags, burglary tools, clothes and jewelry, as well as about 60,000 euros in cash were seized. Electronic devices, tools, work and tactical equipment, clothes with the inscription Police and face masks were also found. The explosives were neutralized and seized with the assistance of the State Anti-Terrorism Service.
The police in Pernik said that the three men were detained for a period of up to 72 hours by order of the prosecutor's office, BTA reports. The work to document their criminal activity and clarify all the circumstances of the case continues under the leadership and supervision of the prosecutor's office.
The special operation is carried out by the "Crimes against Property" sector of the "National Police" Directorate, together with the "Gendarmerie, Special Operations and Combating Terrorism" Directorate, the "Fighting Organized Crime" Directorate, the Sofia Directorate of Internal Affairs and the regional directorates of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Pernik and Blagoevgrad.