Bulgaria Arrests 9 in New Police Raid against Crime Gangs

Last week, heavily armed anti-terror police burst into homes, bars and strip-joints to arrest 14 alleged members of a powerful crime gang in an operation, named "Octopus". Photo by BGNES

Nine people have been arrested early on Tuesday in the latest raid of Bulgaria's police against organized crime groups, code-named “The Fakirs”.

The operation targets car thieves, the Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov announced.

"These are very aggressive and well trained criminals, who bully the citizens of the capital Sofia by stealing cars,” Minister Tsvetanov explained.

He added that during the searches that are currently underway, police has found equipment for setting cars on fire, guns, fake documents for cars ownership.

"These are people, who are linked to criminals we have already arrested in previous raids. If we can use them to go deeper into these cases, we will do it,” the minister underlined.

"They may be released, just like what has happened with similar car thieves earlier, but this does not mean that the Interior Ministry will abandon its obligations. We will continue these operations until we wipe the criminals out,” he assured.

Along with “The Fakir” operation, the police is also carrying out a raid against members of the so-called strong-arm groups, who are believed to be involved in contract murders. A total of 13 suspects have been arrested.

Bulgaria's new government is taking steps to root out the corruption and organized crime that have affected the country for years.

Last week, heavily armed anti-terror police burst into homes, bars and strip-joints to arrest 14 alleged members of a powerful crime gang in an operation, named "Octopus".

They are suspected of extortion, drug trafficking, money laundering and tax fraud.

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