An organized criminal group for illegal migrant trafficking through Bulgaria has been busted in a joint operation by the General Directorate of the “Border Police“ and the General Directorate of the “National Police“. During the operation on October 1, a total of 22 people, mainly Syrian citizens, were detained at multiple addresses in Sofia. Seven people have been charged with participating in the scheme.
This was announced at a briefing by the Director of the “Border Police“, Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov, and the Director of the “National Police“ Chief Commissioner Emil Parmakov.
According to Zlatanov, investigators have identified a clearly structured criminal group that organized the illegal crossing of migrants both across the so-called green border and through border checkpoints. Cars with specially built hiding places were also used for this purpose.
So far, 10 separate cases have been documented, in which pre-trial proceedings have been initiated. In these cases, the migrants did not manage to cross the country illegally, as they were caught by the authorities.
Zlatanov also linked the investigation to a case from May 24 in Burgas. Then, a car driver disobeyed a police order and a chase ensued. The car fell off an overpass in the city center, and three illegal migrants from Morocco were found inside.
The driver managed to escape and reached Plovdiv by train, but was later found in joint work by the police in Plovdiv and Burgas. “Then we reached the driver himself. And yesterday we reached the organizers of the entire group“, said Zlatanov.
According to him, the investigation showed that the same structure is behind a number of similar cases.
Initially, the group organized the crossing of migrants across the green border, after which they were met at predetermined places. After the control was tightened, the smugglers changed the scheme and began to use specially built caches in various vehicles, with which they crossed the border points. This method was also significantly more expensive.
According to investigators, people from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia were brought through the canal. The group had clearly defined functions. Some of the participants were involved in transport, others provided accommodation and food, and still others organized the removal of migrants from Bulgaria.
Migrants from Asia were mainly directed to Romania, while those from North Africa tried to leave the country mainly through the border with Serbia.
Some of the people had already been granted refugee status, but nevertheless repeatedly tried to be illegally removed from Bulgaria. According to Zlatanov, some of them were caught several times while trying to pass through Romania.
It was established that the criminal group gathered migrants in apartments in different parts of Sofia - both in the center and in the outer districts.
During the operation, the police entered four such apartments simultaneously. According to Emil Parmakov, they were monitored for several months in order to identify all the people connected to the criminal activity and logistics of the group.
In some of the apartments, migrants were found who were already prepared to be taken out of Bulgaria and were waiting for transport. “In the last two months alone, we have detained them four or five times on the Danube Bridge near Ruse or on the Danube Bridge near Vidin when they were trying to secretly leave the country“, Zlatanov said.
The operation was conducted under the supervision of the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office. Procedural and investigative actions were carried out at six of the checked addresses. After the operation, the prosecutor's office brought charges against a total of seven people - the alleged leader of the group and his assistants.
Five of the accused were among those detained in the operation on October 1. A sixth is already in custody after a previous police operation, and the seventh was charged in absentia. According to investigators, he is outside Bulgaria and controlled part of the group's activities from abroad. The remaining detainees were questioned as witnesses.
About 140 officers of the “Border Police“ and “National Police“ participated in the final phase of the operation. 22 teams were formed, including uniformed police officers, operatives, investigators and specialized police forces.
According to Zlatanov, the large-scale organization was necessary so that the actions at the different addresses could be carried out simultaneously and the necessary evidence could be collected. During the searches, objects were also found that are yet to be analyzed. Investigators also have data that payments for the illegal transfer of migrants were made through the “hawala“ system.
The Ministry of Interior did not specify a specific amount that the migrants paid the smugglers. Zlatanov explained that the tariff was determined according to the route, conditions and services provided. Crossing the green border, hiding in forest areas and transportation in poor conditions cost less. The price was significantly higher when the migrants went to special hideouts, received accommodation, food and additional logistics.
The amounts also differed according to the nationality and financial capabilities of the migrants. According to investigators, it was the different prices and services that helped to establish the hierarchy in the criminal group and the specific tasks of its individual members.