Another Bulgarian Customs Officer Arrested for Bribes

The center-right government elected last July has taken a harder line on crime and graft than its predecessor, launching a number of rainds, including along the borders. File photo

A customs officer from the border crossing point Lessovo on the Bulgarian -Turkish border has been detained for taking bribes, police announced on Monday.

The arrest is a follow-up to the police operation, code named”Borders”, conducted at the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing point at the beginning of July. It was prompted by complaints of citizens, who said they were blackmailed while passing through the border.

The arrested has been under investigation for about a week.

The “Borders” operation was realized under the control of the Sofia Prosecution's Office and included employees from the Bulgarian Unit for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP), the Internal Security Directorate and the Border Police.

The detained - a Bulgarian border policeman and a customs officer from the border crossing point Kapitan Andreevo – were monitored two months with special surveillance devices (SRS), which showed them taking small amounts of money, but regularly.

The center-right government elected last July has taken a harder line on crime and graft than its predecessor.

Over the last one year Bulgarian police arrested dozens of members of powerful crime gangs suspected of money laundering, racketeering, drug trafficking, bribery and tax frauds.

The raids have been part of the efforts of the government to shake off the country's reputation for rampant graft and crime.

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