Busted Bulgarian Criminal Had Interpol Warrant

Bulgarian murky businessman Evelin Banev, aka Brando is charged with money laundering both in Bulgaria and Switzerland. Photo by BGNES

Bulgarian murky businessman Evelin Banev, aka Brando had an Interpol arrest warrant from Switzerland for cocaine trafficking and money laundering.

The information was reported Thursday by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, thus confirming earlier speculations in Bulgarian media.

Brando was arrested in the town of Sozopol near Burgas Wednesday.

Tsvetanov stressed that this was "a man with extreme influence in organized crime circles." The Minister further informed that the arrest warrant had been issued on a request from Switzerland where Banev is charged with the smuggling of 10 tons of cocaine from South America to Europe. The other charge is for money laundering and Brando's bank accounts with EUR millions in them have been blocked in Switzerland.

Tsvetanov did not miss the opportunity to blame all previous governments for not doing anything to apprehend such emblematic crime figures, known to the authorities for nearly 20 years now.

"The raids and the confiscation that accompanied Banev's arrest only confirm the old statement that in Bulgaria the mafia had a State," the Minister stressed. He vowed that the cabinet of his ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB, will stay on its different course of fighting organized crime.

Tsvetanov also explained that there was a money laundering charge against Brando in Bulgaria as well, but declined giving any further details.