Ex Bulgarian Top Cop: Outrageous Info on Police Chief Is True

Bogomil Bonev, former Interior Minister in the cabinet of right-wing leader Ivan Kostov. Photo by BGNES

The documents implicating Stanimir Florov, Director of the Bulgarian police's Main Directorate for Fighting Organized Crime (GDBOP), in facilitating illegal drugs trafficking are authentic.

The statement was made Thursday by Bogomil Bonev, former Interior Minister in the cabinet of right-wing leader Ivan Kostov.

Speaking for PIK news agency, Bonev revealed that in 1999 he has been the one to grant a resolution and approval for the use of special surveillance devices to spy on Florov over suspicions of criminal activities.

On Thursday, Bulgarian prosecution authorities announced they have received copies of what is claimed to be classified police documents implicating the police anti-organized crime unit head in facilitating drug trafficking.

The files, amounting to some 300 pages of scanned documents, have been sent by a person who claims to be working in Bulgaria's law enforcement, and who says he wishes to remain anonymous, as he was aware that revealing classified information constitutes a crime.

The e-mail, which was also sent to various media outlets, further states the anonymous person's desire to unveil what he claims to be the symbiosis of police and organized crime in Bulgaria.

The alleged documents appear to be records of police investigations on Florov's suspected activities facilitating international drug trafficking in Bulgaria in the late 1990s and the 2000s.

In particular, they mention that Florov has been paid to provide cover up for Middle East drug dealers and for the illegal drug manufacturing in the so-called "Opitsvet" affair in 1997.

At the time Florov has been an officer in the unit's predecessors.

For now, he has refused to comment on the case.

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