Bulgaria Says "Untouchable" Detainees Siphoned off VAT

Krassimir Stefanov, NAP executive director, has refused to disclose the losses that the state budget has suffered, but said that this is a large-scale scheme. Photo by BGNES

The latest raid of Bulgaria's police against organized crime groups, code-named “The Untouchable", will cut a scheme to siphon off millions of levs in value-added tax from the budget, officials have said.

“The scheme was first detected a year ago by the new unit at the National Revenues Agency NAP, which combats taxation frauds and works in close cooperation with the Interior Ministry and the state Security Agency DANS,” Krassimir Stefanov, NAP executive director, told Darik radio on Thursday.

He refused to disclose the losses that the state budget has suffered, but said that this is a large-scale scheme.

Asked whether there are state officials involved in the scheme, Stefanov said more details will be provided after the operation is brought to an end.

Ten people were arrested early on Thursday in the latest raid of Bulgaria's police against organized crime groups, code-named “The Untouchable".

The operation targets suspect members of a group for money laundering and tax crimes, which have incurred huge losses to the state, the Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov announced.

Talking to the Bulgarian National Radio, the Interior Minister said the suspects work in the energy sector and occupy high-level positions. He refused to disclose their names.

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

In February 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.

The raid was followed by another, code-named “The Fakirs”, which targeted car thieves. Along with “The Fakir” operation, the police also carried out a raid against members of the so-called strong-arm groups, who are believed to be involved in contract murders.

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