Bulgarian Customs Head, Businessman Busted in Special Ops

Five people were arrested in Varna and Sofia in a special police operation against organized cigarette contraband. File photo

A notorious businessman from the Black Sea city of Varna and the head of the Customs checkpoint "Oltomantsi" have been arrested during a special police operation, codenamed "The Cigarette Dealers."

The operation against an organized crime group dealing with large-scale cigarette contraband has been conducted in Varna and the capital Sofia. The group is suspected of smuggling over 22 million pieces of cigarettes in 2011, inflicting damages to the State treasury estimated at BGN 8 M.

The Varna businessman is identified as Borislav Mandzhukov, while the Customs head is Georgi Vladimirov AKA Fozi.

Mandzhukov is known as the owner of several bars and nightclubs in Varna. His girlfriend was kidnapped in 2003. Fozi has been fired as Customs head of the "Gyueshevo" checkpoint and later reinstated at the job by the Court.

Another three people have been arrested in Sofia. The sixth gang member is currently in jail, but has been part of the group in 2011.

After the arrests and the raids, police seized a large number of cell phones and documentation and invoices for the criminal activity.

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