Bulgaria’s Security, Technical OPS Agencies Report Increase in Surveillance Equipment Requests

State Agency for National Security (DANS) HQ in Sofia, photo by BGNES

Bulgaria’s State Agency for National Security (DANS) and the State Agency Technical Operations (DATO) worked on 9533 requests for the use of special surveillance equipment in 2014, according to reports of the two entities.

The annual reports of DANS and DATO, as cited by the 24 Hours daily, indicate an increase in the number of special surveillance equipment requests after a series of decreases registered after 2010.

The number of requests peaked in 2010, reaching 15 618, while in 2014 it increased by over 1000 from 2013.

DATO reported a total of 6627 requests for 2014, including ones submitted by the Interior Ministry, the National Intelligence Service and the prosecuting authority.

Of them 4958 were for a normal period of time of up to 2 months and 1669 were for a period of up to 6 months.

The largest number of requests involved conducting wiretaps, at 6516, followed by tracking with 5359, and visual and technical surveillance with 5377.

A total of 1190 requests involved breaking and entering into private premises, according to DATO.

DATO used special surveillance equipment in 18 442 activities.

However, they only produced 1101 pieces of evidence.

Meanwhile, DANS reported 2906 requests for the use of special surveillance equipment, of which 2593 were used.

The authorizations to deploy special surveillance equipment were used to investigate 95 705 people and 966 deals.

In 2014 DANS also worked on tip-offs for money laundering worth nearly EUR 2 B.

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