Bulgaria Police Hit Gang of "Oppressors"

The raids are part of the efforts of Bulgaria's new center-right government, which swept the elections in July, to shake off the country's reputation for rampant graft and crime. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

Bulgarian commandos have made four arrests during a special operation, code-named “The Oppressors”, in the region of the Danube town of Vidin, police announced.

The suspects had no permit for the banking services they offered and blackmailed their clients, Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov said Wednesday morning.

No further details were immediately available.

This is the fourth money-lenders gang that police cracks down on over the last two months.

At the beginning of May an owner of a pawn house, 39, and one of his employees were detained in the town of Yambol. During the search of the owner’s office police found out that the company has no permit for the banking services it offers. A number of contracts for loans, debit cards and lists of people, who have been granted loans have been seized.

Preliminary information says that the two men, who have criminal records, have been involved in this business for a long period of time and have granted loans worth BGN 150 000 over the last two years. The interest rates ranged between 30-100%.

During police raids in the neighborhood 'Nov put' in the northwestern Bulgarian city of Vidin, four people were detained.

Bulgarian commandos confiscated two laptops with electronic data for giving out illegal loans, blue prints of agricultural land plots, notarial acts for real estate in the 'Nov put' neighourhood, guarantee cards for all kinds of electric equipment that has been pawned in the pawn shops owned by the criminals.

The raids are part of the efforts of Bulgaria's new center-right government, which swept the elections in July, to shake off the country's reputation for rampant graft and crime.

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