Bulgaria Busts Migrant Smuggling Ring, Smugglers Charged Up to 15,000 Euros Per Person

Bulgarian authorities have dismantled an organized criminal network involved in transporting migrants to Western Europe through Bulgaria, uncovering a highly structured operation that charged individuals between 4,000 and 15,000 euros per person. The migrants, primarily from Syria, Iraq, and Iran, included women and children. The scheme operated with a strict hierarchy, coordinated largely from outside Bulgaria, while Bulgarian participants provided logistical support and arranged accommodation for those awaiting onward travel.

The Ministry of Interior carried out a specialized operation on November 23 under the supervision of the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office, in coordination with Europol, the Romanian border police, and SELEC, an international transnational crime-fighting organization. During the operation, ten individuals were charged, including two identified as leaders of the group, and over 25 migrants were located living illegally in Sofia apartments rented by Syrian citizens. Material evidence seized included mobile phones, laptops, radios, and roughly 50,000 euros in cash.

Officials noted that the criminal network functioned across several organized groups sharing migration routes. The Bulgarian participants mainly assisted with transport and accommodation, while the crossing of the Bulgarian-Turkish border occurred via both the “green border” and concealed methods in trucks and minibuses through official checkpoints. The route’s complexity and the method of passage dictated the cost for each migrant, with prices ranging from 4,000 euros (approximately 8,000 BGN) for simpler crossings to 15,000 euros (around 29,400 BGN) for more elaborate transportation to destinations including Germany, Italy, and France.

Commissioners from the Directorate General for Border Police reported that the network had been under surveillance for a year and a half, during which more than 30 ancillary crimes were documented. Many migrants and facilitators involved had prior criminal records. All ten charged individuals were ordered detained for up to 72 hours, with prosecutors seeking full custody pending further investigation. Authorities emphasized that the network operated with precise coordination, exploiting both domestic and international routes while generating significant profits from human trafficking.