The four people detained during the special operation by the Sofia Directorate of the Interior and the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime in Gurkovo were released in less than 24 hours. Among them is the owner of the Bulmetal plant, Kolyo Atanasov. No charges have been brought against the detainees, the businessman’s lawyer Valentin Dimitrov confirmed to BNT. “They are all free now, with no charges brought,” BNT reported regarding the outcome of the detentions.
The operation took place late in the evening, when officers from the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and the Sofia Directorate of the Interior blocked the company’s production facility in Gurkovo and Atanasov’s home. The investigation is examining information about illegal surveillance and the possession of special technical devices for the covert collection of information.
Tracking devices, known as trackers, were sought during the searches. Computers, phones and other equipment were seized and will be subjected to expert examinations. The four detainees were taken to Sofia for questioning.
There Are No Requests for New Arrests at the Prosecutor’s Office
Reports of searches carried out as a matter of urgency have been submitted to the Sofia District Prosecutor’s Office so that judicial approval of the investigators’ actions can be requested. No proposals have been submitted for bringing charges or for detention for up to 72 hours.
The operation prompted a reaction in Gurkovo. Earlier in the day, workers from the plant and local residents staged a spontaneous protest over the businessman’s detention and temporarily blocked traffic through the Republic Pass.
At present, the four remain at liberty, while the investigation continues with expert examinations of the seized equipment and an assessment of the collected materials.
Sources: bntnews.bg