Bulgaria/The Balkans

[Hollander]

Serbia Police Probe Drug Lord Links to Bulgaria Energy Tycoon
Crime | May 8, 2010, Saturday



Serbian newspaper ‘Blitz’ reported that Josic’s business ties will also be investigated including with Bulgarian energy tycoon Hristo Kovachki. Photo by BGNES

Serbian secret police are currently checking the secret bank accounts of alleged Balkan drug lord Sreten Josic aka Joca Amsterdam according to sources in Belgrade.

The Serbian police have allegedly begun a financial investigation to establish the true wealth of Josic by delving into real estate companies, secret safes in Serbia and abroad as well as his privatization dealings.

Serbian newspaper ‘Blitz’ reported that Josic’s business ties will also be investigated including with Bulgarian energy tycoon Hristo Kovachki.

Josic is currently on trial for the murder of the owner of the Croatian magazine "National" Ivo Pukanic.

Josic was detained at the end of April on charges of being an accomplice in the murder of Pukanic.

Ivo Pukanic, owner and editor-in-chief of the Croatian weekly "Nacional" and the publication's marketing director Niko Franic were killed by a car bomb on October 23 last year in downtown Zagreb.

Kovachki, who is charged with with tax crimes amounting to BGN 16 M for the 2005-2008 period from four of his businesses, appeared in Sofia City Court in April, but scorned the questions of the journalists regarding his links to organized criminals.

Kovachki, whose party failed to win seats in July's parliamentary election, has diverse business interests, ranging from manufacturing to banking and from energy to retail. He owns the Thermal Plants "Maritsa-Iztok 3" in Dimitrovgrad and "Bobov Dol", several mines, as well as the heating utilities in Vratsa, Burgas, Veliko Tarnovo and Pleven, the grocery chain "Evropa" and the "Atomenergoremont" company.

[Junior]

More Good News for Bulgaria’s Alleged Top Mafia Boss
Novinite.Com
June 22, 2010

After spending five months behind bars, Krasimir Marinov, one of the notorious brothers called the Marguins, who are believed to be Bulgaria’s top crime bosses, will be placed under house arrest.

This emerged on Tuesday after Sofia Court of Appeals upheld a decision of the Sofia City Court, which cited the defendant’s health problems as the main argument for its decision.

The ruling concerns the allegation for leading an organized crime group, involved in drugs distribution.

The defense demanded the release of Krassimir Marinov, claiming that the evidence collected so far fails to prove the charges raised against him. According to the lawyers his release under house arrest is a safe measure, since he is not likely to go into hiding or commit another crime.

Krasimir and Nikolay Marinov, also known as the Marguin brothers, reputed to be the biggest mafia bosses in Bulgaria, were acquitted last week after found not guilty of plotting three murders.

Krasimir Marinov pleaded not guilty to the charges, while his brother Nikolay was tried in absentia after he disappeared earlier this year.

The case has been dragging on for nearly five years already.

[Hollander]

Acquittal of Bulgaria's Notorious Brothers Based on 'Lack of Evidence'
Crime | July 30, 2010, Friday


Bulgaria's alleged top crime bosses, Krasimir ® and Nikolay Marinov (l) aka The Marguin Brothers, received a non-guilty verdict after a 5-year long trial. Nikolay Marinov was tried in his absence. Photo by BGNES

There is no solid evidence that the alleged mafia bosses Krasimir Marinov and Nikolay Marinov, aka The Marguin Brothers, ordered three assassinations, according to the Sofia City Court.

The Court released Friday its motives for the June 2010 acquittal of the two notorious brothers Krasimir Marinov, aka the Big Marguin, and Nikolay Marinov, aka the Little Marguin, who were accused of heading an organized crime group responsible for the murders of Nikola Damyanov and top criminal boss Ivan Todorov, aka the Doctor, and the attempt on the life of reservist general Lyuben Gotsev.

the prosecutor asked for a record-high verdict – 22 years behind bars for all 6 defendants, who are charged with plotting 3 murders. The minimum sentence for similar crimes is 15 years, but the verdict has been upped by 7 years – half of the minimum over the seriousness of the crime.

Krasimir Marinov aka the Big Marguin pleaded not guilty last Monday while Nikolay Marinov, the Little Marguin, is tried in his absence because he disappeared in January and his whereabouts remain unknown.

The Marguin Brothers together with Veselin Toshev, Stefan Rangelov, Ivo Karageorgiev, and Biser Iliev were charged with organizing a criminal group and plotting the murders of Nikola Damyanov, and Ivan Todorov, aka The Doctor (a large-scale mafia boss specialized at international cigarettes contraband), and of General Lyuben Gotsev (who survived the attempt on his life).

The Sofia City Court outlined its arguments for the acquittal of the Marguins on more than 100 pages.

“There can be no categorical conclusion about who and how exactly created this organized crime group in question, nor can there be any certainty about who was its leader

The Court declares that none of the accusations against Krasimir Marinov and Nikolay Marinov can be proven in an undisputed way as they are resting primarily on indirect evidence. The prosecution is found to not have presented convincing proofs that the Marguin Brothers were ever in contact with the other defendants.

The Court has also declared that it did not consider necessary and relevant to discuss the part of the accusations which describes the inception of the SIC mafia group, and the affiliation of any persons or companies with it.

The SIC group appeared in the mid 1990s as the rival of the first large-scale mafia structure in Bulgaria after 1989 called VIS. In the late 1990s and the first years after 2000 VIS and SIC were oftentimes at war, and many of the targeted gangland killings in Bulgaria are attributed to this conflict.

The Marguin Brothers are rumored to have been among the top bosses of the SIC group. After 2000, the two major mafia groups in Bulgaria are believe to have been transformed into other smaller-scale entities.


Tags: Marguins, Nikolay Marinov, Krasimir Marinov, Sofia City Court, SIC, VIS, organized crime, assassination, Ivan Todorov aka the Doctor

[Hollander]

Prosecutor: 'Killers' Planned Assassination of Bulgarian PM
Crime | August 5, 2010, Thursday



Deputy Chief Prosecutor Boyko Naydenov confirmed the "Killers" were plotting the murder of PM Borisov. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Boyko Naydenov has confirmed that the so called “Killers” gang did indeed plot the assassination of Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov.

“There is no denying of this fact. We have information that part of the members of the organized crime group agreed to carry out this murder,” Naydenov said speaking on the Bulgarian National Television Thursday morning.

He did not provide details about who might have ordered Borisov's assassination.

Naydenov was devastatingly critical of the Sofia Appellate Court for its Tuesday's decision to release on bail four of the five men detained last week in the operation codenamed “Killers”, including the President of the Bulgarian Sumo Federation Petar Stoyanov, aka The Chieftain.

The gang was detained after they carried out the murder of controversial football club president Yuriy Galev in June, and are also believed to have been connected to several other assassinations.

He believes this will have a negative effect on the persons who had agreed to testify against the alleged assassins.

“I am not even going to talk about the fact that we will hardly be able to find other people who would agree to tell the truth from after this release. But there is also the matter of preserving the lives of those who already did tell the truth in their testimonies,” said the prosecutor.

In his words, the permanent detention of the alleged killers was necessary in order to provide for a fast and objective investigation.

“We just wanted to limit their movement and contacts while the investigation is still going on. This did not happen. The courts decide who is guilty but our job in the Prosecutor's Office is to collect evidence. We must continue working on this case now under other conditions,” Naydenov declared.

Serbian 'Press' Denies Murder Plot against Bulgaria's PM
Crime | August 6, 2010, Friday

The Serbian daily "Press" has reported that Serbian Interior Ministry did not have any information about a murder plot by Serbian mobster Sreten Josic (Jocić), aka Joca Amsterdam, against the Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov. File photo

The Serbian Interior Ministry does not have information about an assassination plot by Sreten Josic against Bulgaria's PM Boyko Borisov, the Serbian daily “Press” has reported.

The comment of the Serbian Interior Ministry comes a a result of the Thursday's statement by the Bulgarian daily “Standart”, claiming that sources informed it that the Serbian mobster stood at the bottom of a murder plot against Borisov.

Serbian police officers have told the “Press” that Josic, aka Joca Amsterdam, has been “the king of the Bulgarian underworld” and that he still keeps his strong positions in the country.

The newspaper has also stated that its sources from the special agencies do not exclude the option that such statements aim at achieving “PR for inner political goals”.

“The crime ring “Killers” has conducted 12 mafia murders. They have been involved in many murders in Bulgaria and Croatia. It is possible that they have also planned Borisov's murder, but whether they have received an order from Josic or it was their own idea, it is impossible to say,” the daily has stated, adding that the connection between Josic and Borisov has been discussed for 10 years.

“Sreten Josic had really good relations with Borisov's immediate circle. But he was arrested in 2002 when Borisov was secretary general in the Interior Ministry. Josic expected support from his friends, but Bulgaria sent him to the Netherlands, and 4 years later he was extradited to Serbia.” the newspaper states.

The “Press” has also reported that in Bulgaria Josic was living with a fake identity as Marko Milosavljevic.

The former head of the National State Security in Belgrade, Miroslav Milosevic, has told the newspaper that he was not surprised of the news about a potential assassination plot against the Bulgarian PM.

“Borisov is my friend. We had an excellent communication while he was head of the Bulgarian police and I was head of the Serbian police. Once he told me that he had an information that Joca Amsterdam was planning a murder plot against him. That happened shortly after Josic was arrested in 2002,” Milosevic said.

He had also added that in 2005, when there had been an official meeting of police heads from Southeastern Europe in Belgrade, Milosevic wanted Borisov to go, but the Bulgarian has declined the invitation in the last moment because, in his words he had received information that the mafia wanted to kill him.

Milosevic has also said that he not only did not believe the talks about a connection between Josic and Borisov, but he was not even sure if they knew each other.

“I cannot say whether Josic could prepare a murder plot from the prison. However, it is clear that the biggest criminals, whether in jail or not, are always together, and Josic continues to have a big influence on the Bulgarian underworld,” Milosevic said.

Another Serbian media has reported that Josic's lawyer, Velko Delibasic, has stated that the specualtion about an assassination plot against Borisov is "ridiculous".

"There are people all over the world, who are ready to say all sorts of things, in order to receive a witness status. The investigation will prove that Josic does not have any connection to this," Delibasic said.

Currently, Josic is serving a 15-year sentence for murder. He has also been accused of murdering the Croatian journalist Ivo Pukanic.

[Hollander]

Bulgaria Police Stage New Crackdown on 'Killers' Gang
Crime | August 24, 2010, Tuesday



The arrest of Vasko Ketsa and Tutso comes just a month after they were released on bail, following their detention in a police operation codenamed “Killers". File photo

Bulgaria's police has detained two members of a gang, who allegedly carried out the murder of a controversial football club president earlier this year and is believed to have been connected to several other assassinations.

The arrest of Vasko Ketsa and Tutso comes just a month after they were released on bail, following their detention in a police operation codenamed “Killers”, along with the President of the Bulgarian Sumo Federation Petar Stoyanov, aka The Chieftain.

The ruling of the court triggered indignation among Bulgaria's police and prosecutors, who said the “Killers” gang has even plotted the assassination of Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov.

“Tuesday operation is a replay of the operation, codenamed “Killers”, Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov commented.

The Killers gang is believed to be behind several assassinations around the country, including the murder of controversial football club president Yuriy Galev in June and businessman Rumen Rachev at the beginning of July last year.

[Junior]

Bulgarian Mobster Jailed for Another 4 Years in Forgery Trial
Novinite.Com, March 29, 2011

A Bulgarian court has sentenced to four years in jail Peter Petrov, dubbed Amigosa, for forging a document as he tried to get his hands on a businessman's property.

Amigosa was found guilty for trying to steal EUR 500 000 by forging the signature of Steven Christodoulou.

At the end of 2009 Petrov, a former associate of late underworld lord Ivan Todorov Doktora in a financial consultancy company, was sentenced to five years in jail in the largest trial for money laundering in the country.

The trial was given the go-ahead in March 2006, but was repeatedly postponed, which gave grounds for the Supreme Judicial Council to launch probes into the work of Sofia City Court.

According to prosecutors, the scam had operated since 1997 and the sums involved totaled BGN 99 M. The illegal traffic channeled the FYROM and Bulgaria and was legalized by means of false commercial contracts.

The case against Ivan Todorov, aka Doktora, was closed due to his death. The businessman, whose name became household after a miraculous bombing survival in 2003, was mercilessly killed February 22 on a busy downtown boulevard in Sofia.

Bulgaria's new center-right government, which swept the elections in July 2009, is struggling to shake off the country's reputation for rampant corruption and crime, and has pledged to step up the fight against graft.

However, the EU newcomer has yet to convict any senior officials and has put only one criminal boss in jail.

[Junior]

Balkan Mafia Leader Arrested in SECI Operation
Novinite.com, Monday, July 18, 2011

An "international organized crime group leader" has been arrested in a joint operation of the police services of Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Serbia coordinated by the SECI center, the Bulgarian Interior Ministry announced.

SECI, the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative, is a regional center for combating trans-border organized crime headquartered in Bucharest.

The Bulgarian Interior Ministry has provided no information about the identity of the arrested Balkan criminal leader, and the nature of the crimes that his organized group is involved in, saying that the representatives of the anti-mafia police authorities of Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia, and SECI will unveil details on Tuesday.

However, it has emphasized that the international police operation in question has been "successful."

[Junior]

Bulgaria Excels in Organized Crime, Corruption Acquittals - EC Report 2011
Bulgaria in EU | Novinite, July 20, 2011, Wednesday

Bulgaria has failed to achieve "convincing results" in its fight against organized crime and corruption, according to the annual monitoring report of the European Commission on its post-EU accession progress.

The EC is about as critical of Bulgaria's continuing failure to crack down on organized crime and corruption as it is of the country's flawed reform of the judiciary.

The 2011 monitoring report does recognize that Bulgaria has achieved progress with respect to police report through the integration of operative and investigative police work. This is recommended to be deepened, including a new focus on reforming pre-trial investigations.

"In spite of persevering police actions to tackle organized crime, the overall results need to be significantly improved. Although the joint team on organized crime achieved several indictments related to important organised crime-groups and some convictions have been rendered, other important cases have been concluded with acquittals since the Commission's last annual report. In appeal, severe detention sentences have been pronounced but not yet enforced in one emblematic organised crime case. Weaknesses exist in the collection of evidence, the protection of witnesses as well as in investigative strategies, comprehensive financial investigations and the securing of assets," the EC report states, urging Bulgaria's Chief Prosecutor to "systematically analyse the reasons for acquittals in high level cases."

The Commission notes the intention of the Bulgarian government to set up a specialized court and prosecution office to handle organized crime cases as of January 2012, and makes a number of recommendations on how to ensure that this institution would work properly. It further urges Bulgaria's authorities to reinvigorate their efforts on the adoption of a law for seizing assets acquired through illegal activities, i.e. to strengthen asset forfeiture.

As far as Bulgaria's fight against high-level corruption, the 2011 monitoring report under the so called Cooperation and Verification Mechanism sees "very few final and enforced verdicts in this area and... no indications of active targeting of high-level corruption." The EC sums up the situation in Bulgaria in this respect as follows:

"Since last summer, two suspended sentences were pronounced in cases of high-level fraud and corruption. Two cases against former ministers finished with an acquittal. Two other cases involving a former minister and a high public official have met difficulties and delays in court. Appeals in two cases involving fraud of EU funds and money laundering, reported last year, remain pending in court with little movement. A number of cases involving EU funds were terminated by the prosecution despite indications of fraud provided by OLAF and the judicial authorities of another Member State. Since the Commission's last annual report, Bulgaria registered acquittals in a number of important fraud and corruption cases. A Member of Parliament has been acquitted of conflict of interest charges and a former director of a Paying Agency for EU funds has been acquitted of abuse in office and concluding unfavourable contracts in three separate cases. The reasons for such acquittals should be carefully analysed by the General Prosecutor and corrective measures should be taken where appropriate."

It also stresses that the analysis of some of these cases by the Commission and independent experts demonstrated "serious weaknesses in judicial and investigative practice" concerning "the collection of evidence, the protection of witnesses and the general lack of investigative strategies, comprehensive financial investigations and securing of assets."

Bulgaria's Penal Code is described as "outdated" while court practice in the country is said to be "overly attentive to procedures at the expense of delivering justice."

It urges the use of interpretative rulings by the Supreme Court of Cassation as a corrective measure since the new Penal Code cannot be expected to enter into force before late 2013.

Delays in the nomination of the members of the dedicated commission created by Bulgaria's newly amended Conflict of Interest Act have led to an interruption in the follow-up of signals of conflict of interest since the first quarter of 2011, the EC says.

The Commission raises concerns regarding weaknesses in asset declarations and verifications of politicians, magistrates and senior civil servants.

"Bulgaria should consider establishing a set of concrete targets for the fight against corruption and organised crime for the different institutions involved in the implementation of the Integrated Strategy," the EC recommends.

[Junior]

Bulgarian Police Crack Down on Usurers, Racketeers
Novinite, Tuesday, August 30, 2011

A massive police operation is being carried out in the Bulgarian capital Sofia targeting groups engaged in illegal usury and racketeering.

News about the operation has been revealed by Bulgarian Minister of Interior Tsvetan Tsvetanov, who keeps on regularly informing the public of details in the activity of Bulgaria's police.

Two persons have been arrested and the offices of a security company have been searched.

Police have grounds to believe that the organization has engaged in illegal money lending, as well as extortion of funds from citizens.

It is estimated that the worth of property and money amassed from racketeering amounts to more than BGN 1.5 M.

The operation is being carried out by Directorate General for Combat with Organized Crime together with the Sofia Regional Prosecutor's Office.

[Junior]

Bulgarian 'Killer' Receives Harsh Jail Sentence
Novinite.com, November 19, 2011

The Regional Court in Bulgaria's northern city of Pleven sentenced to 20 years behind bars Georgi Petkov AKA Dachi, who is part of the organized crime group codenamed "Killers."

The verdict was announced after a record-long, 12-hour debate between the magistrates. The rule can be appealed within a 15-day deadline with the highest instance – the Veliko Tarnovo Court of Appeals.

The case against Petkov started in February 2011 on charges he had attempted to murder Kamen Balbuzanov AKA Kukata (The Hook).

In November 2009, a little bit after 7 pm, The Hook was shot several times inside a Pleven coffee shop. He survived the assault after being listed in the hospital with four gunshot wounds. Bazlbuzanov, later, led the probe to Dachi, designating him as the perpetrator of the attack. The Hook is claiming damages in the amount of BGN 70 000.

Dachi is also investigated for an attempted murder in 2005 in the Black Sea capital Varna when Ivaylo Paunov AKA Giovanitto, whose name is connected with grand theft auto from Spain, was shot inside his own establishment.

Petkov is one of a number of people arrested in the summer of 2010 in what has been dubbed special operation "Killers" by Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov.

The operation was carried out by the police, DANS, and the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office in connection with the murder of the controversial Samokov football club president Yuriy Galev The President of the Bulgarian Sumo Federation Petar Stoyanov aka the "Chieftain" was among those detained.

Petar Stoyanov is a leading figure in the Bulgarian sumo world. He has a silver and two bronze world medals in amateur sumo. The "Chieftain" is also a close friend to Bulgaria's best sumo wrestler Kotooshu.

After the arrest, President Parvanov's administration came out with an official statement refuting media allegations that Stoyanov is or has ever been an adviser to the President, but the chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science, Children, Youth and Sports, confirmed that Stoyanov was an adjunct advisor for them.

The "Chieftain" has denied any connection to organized crime.

Tsvetanov announced a known criminal, Yanko Popov aka Tutsi, had ordered the murder of Yuriy Galev while the President of the Bulgarian Sumo Federation was one of the organizers Galev's murder. The other person ordering the murder was identified by the Minister as Vasil Kostov aka Vasko Ketsa (The Sneaker), who had also organized the murder of Shumen businessman Rumen Rashev.

Another known criminal, Metodi Ivanov, had been the keeper of the gun with which Galev was murdered. The actual shooter was identified as Georgi Petkov aka Damchi.

Part of the group members are also connected to some other high-profile mafia killings in the recent past, Tsvetanov said, but did not offer more details.

In July, the 24 Chasa (24 Hours) daily published an article informing the "Killers" received an order for Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's assassination about 6-7 months ago, citing sources from the investigation. The Interior Minister declined commenting.

Tsvetanov, however, has hinted the "Killers" may be behind the slaying of Bulgaria's top banker Emil Kyulev. Emil Kyulev, one of the richest men in Bulgaria, was shot and killed in 2005. His murder was particularly shocking because he did not fit the profile of an underworld boss.

[Junior]

Bulgarian 'Killer' Testifies about PM Borisov's Mafia Ties
Novinite, Saturday, November 26, 2011

The defendant in Bulgaria's high-profile organized crime case code-named "The Killers," Vasil Kostov AKA Ketsa (The Sneaker) spoke before magistrates about a meeting between Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, and notorious mafia figures.

The Bulgarian National Radio, BNR, informs that during an 11-hour long Court session Friday, held at the Shumen Regional Court, Ketsa had testified about meetings between Borisov, Bulgaria's organized crime boss Milcho Bonev AKA Bay Mile, and Serbian drug lord Sreten Josic.

The defendant said he was part of several such meetings in his capacity of security guard for Bay Mile, who was at the time one of the bosses at SIC corporation (allegedly one of Bulgaria's two powerful mafia structures, along with VIS, in the 1990s).

During one of these meetings, attended by Ketsa in person, Bay Mile, Josic, Stoil Slavov, and other individuals from SIC have discussed how to collect money to make Borisov a key figure at the Interior Ministry by buying him a post and a rank.

Before becoming Prime Minister after the summer 2009 general elections, Borisov was Mayor of Sofia and before that – Chief Secretary of the Interior Ministry (editor's note).

Vasil Kostov also told the magistrates that all permits for Bay Mile's security have been issued to the company IPON-1 Ltd, owned by Borisov at the time.

Stoil Slavov was killed by a bomb blast in 2004; the same year, Bay Mile was gunned down along with several security guards, while Sreten Josic was extradited to the Netherlands, after being arrested in Sofia in 2002. He spent two years in a Dutch jail before being returned to Serbia where he is charged with two murder plots.

In June 2005, Bulgarian media wrote that Josic had ordered Borisov's murder. The same information emerged in 2009, during the election campaign.

On Friday, the magistrates warned Ketsa that this testimony did not have anything to do with "The Killer's" trial, but the defendant managed to add that Borisov had been in charge of the illegal drug trafficking channel from Turkey to Bulgaria, and threw several more names of notorious Bulgarian crime bosses from the recent past, such as Konstantin Dimitrov, aka Kosyo Samokovetsa and Meto Ilieneski, who, he alleged, also had ties with Borisov.

It is also known that in the past Borisov had a joint business with another notorious SIC boss – Rumen Nikolov AKA Pashata.

In a diplomatic cable of the US embassy in Sofia, dated May 5, 2006, revealed on WikiLeaks and provided to the project for investigative journalism www.bivol.bg, former American Ambassador, John Beyrle, focusing on Borisov's biography and rise to power, wrote the following:

Accusations in years past have linked Borisov to oil-siphoning scandals, illegal deals involving LUKoil and major traffic in methamphetamines.

In the beginning of April 2009, Sreten Josic made headlines in Bulgaria, telling a Belgrade court he enjoyed the protection of high-ranking officials here, citing among others the name of the then Interior Chief Secretary and now Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov.

At that time, Borisov as Mayor of Sofia, vehemently denied the allegations, accusing the former ruling Three-Way Coalition of crafting a long-term strategy to discredit him.

When asked if he was aware of the rumors that Josic had ordered his assassination, Borisov said he had just done his job when Josic was arrested and extradited him to the Netherlands on the request of the Dutch police.

Ketsa is one of a number of people arrested in the summer of 2010 in what has been dubbed special operation "Killers" by Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov.

The operation was carried out by the police, DANS, and the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office in connection with the murder of the controversial Samokov football club president Yuriy Galev The President of the Bulgarian Sumo Federation Petar Stoyanov aka the "Chieftain" was among those detained.

Petar Stoyanov is a leading figure in the Bulgarian sumo world. He has a silver and two bronze world medals in amateur sumo. The "Chieftain" is also a close friend to Bulgaria's best sumo wrestler Kotooshu.

After the arrest, President Parvanov's administration came out with an official statement refuting media allegations that Stoyanov is or has ever been an adviser to the President, but the chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science, Children, Youth and Sports, confirmed that Stoyanov was an adjunct advisor for them.

The "Chieftain" has denied any connection to organized crime.

Tsvetanov announced a known criminal, Yanko Popov aka Tutsi, had ordered the murder of Yuriy Galev while the President of the Bulgarian Sumo Federation was one of the organizers Galev's murder. The other person ordering the murder was identified by the Minister as Vasil Kostov aka Vasko Ketsa (The Sneaker), who had also organized the murder of Shumen businessman Rumen Rashev.

Another known criminal, Metodi Ivanov, had been the keeper of the gun with which Galev was murdered. The actual shooter was identified as Georgi Petkov aka Damchi.

Part of the group members are also connected to some other high-profile mafia killings in the recent past, Tsvetanov said, but did not offer more details.

In July, the 24 Chasa (24 Hours) daily published an article informing the "Killers" received an order for Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's assassination about 6-7 months ago, citing sources from the investigation. The Interior Minister declined commenting.

Tsvetanov, however, has hinted the "Killers" may be behind the slaying of Bulgaria's top banker Emil Kyulev. Emil Kyulev, one of the richest men in Bulgaria, was shot and killed in 2005. His murder was particularly shocking because he did not fit the profile of an underworld boss.

[Junior]

Bulgarian Interior Minister: Organized Crime Is Under Control
Novinite, Sunday, December 11, 2011

Organized crime in Bulgaria is under control and largely neutralized, Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, declared to reporters late Saturday evening.

In Tsvetanov's words, the systematic approach of the law enforcement system "brought to light the criminal contingent" and no longer allows an environment favorable for major drug lords to thrive as it was in previous years.

In his typical manner, Tsvetanov did not miss to bash the judicial system, which, he said, must "respond to the expectations of the public, be guided only by the rule of law, and play a preventive role."

The Minister's comments came as response to journalists' questions to give his opinion on the not-guilty verdict in the highly publicized double homicide case in front of Sofia's night club "Solo."

"When there is justice, and Court rules correspond to all evidence in an investigation, only then the good image of the Bulgaria's judicial system will become a fact," Tsvetanov stressed.

The Interior Minister reiterated the common view of his ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB that it is impossible to explain to Bulgarian citizens how in the last 20 years, the authorities never managed to find enough proof so that those responsible for the deplorable situation in the State receive effective sentences.

[Junior]

Bulgaria's Special Anti-Mafia Court Kicks Off
Novinite.com, January 3, 2012

January 3, 2012, was the first working day of Bulgaria's brand-new "anti-mafia" court and the respective prosecutor's office.

The controversial institution has been initiated by the ruling center-right part GERB and Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov against the protests of the Socialists and centrist formations, who slammed it as a dictatorship device that is unnecessarily seizing powers from the regular courts.

It was initially supposed to try high-profile organized crime and corruption cases but was later designed to focus primarily on organized crime such as murder, contraband, and abduction, drug trafficking, and bribery.

The Court has already taken up about 80 cases on organized crime charges from regular courts across Bulgaria, according to the heads of the Specialized Prosecutor's Office and the Appellate Specialized Prosecutor's Office Borislav Sarafov and Svetozar Kostov.

Each of the two prosecutor's offices will have a criminal and economic crime division, with three prosecutors – two from the lower and one from the appellate office – participating in each trial in order to make sure the third prosecutor could follow-up on it if the case is appealed.

According to judicial data, the cases that would have fallen under the jurisdiction of the new anti-mafia tribunal in Bulgaria were 135 in 2008, 172 in 2009, and 209 in 2010.

"It is a challenge for me to make this court work and answer the expectations of the society for a fair, efficient, competent, and principles court. I am not taking over this position to fight anybody, and I don't expect political interventions in the work of court," its Chair Georgi Ushev declared upon his appointment.

The formation of the new institutions has seen some difficulties with respect to raising sufficient staff with some of the candidates withdrawing, and others failing to get the approval of the Supreme Judicial Council (VSS), which is in charge of managing Bulgaria's judiciary.

The Bulgarian state has already BGN 4 M plus BGN 2.5 M from the VSS to set up and equip the new anti-mafia court, which will have five courtrooms at its disposal. For the first time in Bulgaria the new court will feature a glass cell for detainees, which has been known in the country only for foreign movies.

The combined salaries of the entire 134-member staff of the two courts and prosecutor's offices are estimated at BGN 2 M annually.

[Junior]

Key Bulgarian Mobster Jailed for 3 Years for Money Laundering
Novinite, January 25, 2012

Bulgaria's Supreme Court of Cassation has confirmed a three-year jail sentence of Petar Petrov, aka Amigosa, for money laundering.

Amigosa was originally sentenced back in 2009 to five years in jail and a fine of BGN 25 000 by the Sofia City Court for laundering BGN 99 M, and heading an organized group smuggling cigarettes via Macedonia. However, his sentence was reduced to three years in prison by the Sofia Appellate Court.

Amigosa is known as the assistant of one of Bulgaria's legendary transition period mafia bosses – Ivan Todorov, aka the Doctor, who was shot dead in Sofia in 2006, after surviving several attempts on his life.

Bulgaria's Supreme Administrative Court has confirmed the acquittal of another defendant on the same charges – Tsveta Manavska, who was tried in absentia after fleeing abroad years ago.

[Junior]

Alleged Bulgarian Mobster Brothers Acquitted of Murder
Novinite.com, Thursday, February 23, 2012

Bulgaria's Supreme Court of Cassations acquitted Thursday alleged mobsters Krasimir and Nikolay Marinovi aka The Marguin Brothers on charges of plotting contract murders.

The Marguin Brothers were charged with organizing a criminal group and plotting the murders of Nikola Damyanov, and Ivan Todorov aka The Doctor (a large-scale mafia boss specialized at international cigarettes contraband), and of General Lyuben Gotsev (who survived the attempt on his life).

The supreme magistrates, however, found the other four defendants – Biser Iliev, Veselin Toshev, Stefan Rangelov, and Ivo Karageorgiev, guilty in contracting murders - they were sentenced from 3 to 5 years behind bars, minus the time they already spent in jail.

The brothers were charged with the murders in the now-distant 2005, and were arrested during a police operation codenamed "Respect," announced by then Interior Minister, Rumen Petkov, in the aftermath of the high-profile murder of one of the wealthiest Bulgarians – banker Emil Kyulev.

In the six plus years the case has been dragging on, the Doctor was shot and killed while Damyanov died from a mass hearth attack.

On June 14, 2010, the Sofia City Court issued a non-guilty verdict on the murder charges for the Marguin brothers, who are reputed to be the biggest mafia bosses in Bulgaria.

The Court also changed Krasimir Marinov's bail to recognizance and lifted the European search warrant for Nikolay Marinov, who disappeared right after the January 2010 murder of controversial radio host, Bobi Tsankov.

The rule came in the aftermath of the prosecutor asking for a record-high verdict – 22 years behind bars for all 6 defendants.

Krasimir Marinov aka the Big Marguin pleaded not guilty while Nikolay Marinov, the Little Marguin, was tried in his absence.

Over the course of the trial, the magistrates heard numerous testimonies, including of two of the three alleged victims, but of the entire line of witnesses only one talked about some possible connection between the brothers and the murder plots.

After the verdict, the Sofia City Prosecutor, Nikolay Kokinov, and his Deputy, Roman Vassilev, announced their decision to appeal.

Bulgaria's Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, blamed, once again, the judicial system for the acquittal of the alleged crime bosses.

At the end of July 2011, the Court released its motives for the June 2010 acquittal of the two notorious brothers. They all revolved over the lack of solid evidence.

The Marguin brothers are also publicly known as being among the leaders of the SIC Corporation - allegedly one of Bulgaria's two powerful mafia structures in the 1990s.

The SIC group appeared in the mid-90s as the rival of the first large-scale mafia structure in Bulgaria after 1989, called VIS. In the late-90s and the first years after 2000, VIS and SIC were oftentimes at war, and many of the gangland killings in Bulgaria are attributed to this conflict. After 2000, the two major mafia groups in Bulgaria are believed to have been transformed into other smaller-scale entities and legal businesses.

[Junior]

Romanian Mobster Arrested In Lexington May Be Tied To Car Scam
By Joe Shortsleeve, WBZ-TV, April 4, 2012

BOSTON (CBS) – An international car scam has been tricking people online and a major player may have been busted here in Boston.

Investigators say the 31-year-old man with ties to the Romanian mob is part of a sophisticated gang who dupe car buyers into using bogus payment methods.

Chief Correspondent Joe Shortsleeve has the WBZ exclusive.

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office says, “The defendant is part of a Romanian organized crime ring.”

Catalin Buzea of Romania was opening bank accounts with a fake passport when he was arrested in Lexington last Friday by local police and federal agents.

Sources tell WBZ Buzea has been duping people nationwide who are buying cars online. He’s been operating out of a Woburn hotel room for the past six months.

Investigators say well trained thieves like Buzea are working with counterparts in Romania.

They successfully direct online car buyers to bogus yet very real looking online payment systems.

Michele Grand of the Suffolk County District Attorney Office says buyers, “Were duped because the people they thought they were buying the cars from provided them a fake Paypal link.”

Two months ago WBZ told you about Ethel Allen of East Bridgewater who lost $5,000 trying to buy a car on the eBay Motors site. Thieves tricked her into sending payment by Western Union.

A law enforcement source says he is almost certain it was Buzea who picked up Allen’s money at a supermarket west of Boston.

“I am glad he is arrested,” says Allen. “I am just hoping that maybe I can get my money back and I hope no one else has to go through this.”

A law enforcement source says just in the past three weeks Buzea opened multiple bank accounts and transferred more than $100,000 to Romania, all the result of online auto scams.

Sources say Buzea is in the country legally on a visa but federal agents will be working to get him deported.

The judge has ordered he be fitted with a GPS tracking ankle bracelet if he is released on $100,000 bail.

[Junior]

Bulgarian Anti-Mafia Police Arrest Drug Ring Leader
Novinite.com, April 12, 2012

Officers of the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP) have arrested the leader of an organized crime group specialized in drug trafficking and distribution.

In the course of the specialized police operation, officers of the Anti-Drug Unit of GDBOP caught the leader of the gang involved in transporting and distributing South American cocaine in Bulgaria.

40-year-old K.D. had a nationwide search warrant issued against him after anti-mafia police busted four members of the group during a drug deal on April 9.

The four offenders were found to possess 6 capsules of cocaine weighing about 60 grams in total.

During the searches of their homes, the police officers found two pistols and a Kalashnikov with blurred ID numbers, a muffler, a number of cell phones with Bulgarian and foreign SIM cards, fake ID documents, bank documents and an electronic scale.

On April 10, GDBOP officers managed to locate the mastermind behind the crime ring.

K.D and his 44-year-old aide, I.I, were caught in Sofia.

The case materials have been sent to the Specialized Prosecutor's Office and the investigation will continue under the supervision of a prosecutor.

[Junior]

Bulgaria Passes Asset Seizure Law to Curb Organized Crime
By Elizabeth Konstantinova, Bloomberg, May 4, 2012

Bulgaria passed a law allowing it to seize assets from criminals which will help it meet European Union demands to fight organized crime.

Law-enforcement authorities will be able to seize assets worth more than 250,000 lev ($168,000) if it is proven they were illegally acquired, Justice Minister Diana Kovacheva told reporters in Sofia today. A special committee will probe the assets of people investigated for alleged crimes as far back as 15 years. The law will take effect in six months.

The EU has repeatedly criticized Bulgaria for failing to curb crime and corruption since the former communist country joined the bloc in 2007 on condition the government accepts monitoring to ensure it will complete legal changes and continue to receive EU aid. Bulgaria, with 7.5 million people, may draw 11 billion euros, of which it has used 24 percent.

The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm in Brussels, recommended to speed up the process of criminal assets forfeiture in its Feb. 8 report, as one of the steps to punish crime. The next assessment report will be released in July. EU warnings have prompted probes of Cabinet ministers, business leaders and lawmakers, though convictions have been rare except for minor corruption cases involving mayors and police officers.

[Junior]

Bulgarian Anti-mafia Police, DEA Bust Money Laundering Gang
Novinite Crime | May 19, 2012, Saturday

Bulgaria's Unit for Combatting Organized Crime, GDBOP, and the US' DEA have jointly carried out a special police operation codenamed "The Launderers."

The Bulgarian special anti-mafia Prosecutor's Office led the operation.

An organized crime group, part of an international organization, acting in Bulgaria, has been neutralized. The criminals dealt with the laundering of money from narcotics trafficking from South America to Europe, transiting through Bulgaria.

The money, coming from countries such as Venezuela, has been deposited in the personal bank accounts in Bulgaria of the members of the group, and then was immediately wired to China, Hong Kong, Spain and the US. The total amount, according to estimates, exceeds BGN 5 M.

Three addresses in Sofia have been raided and the police confiscated as evidence bank, business and tax documents, personal computers, and cell phones.

Three men are under arrest. They are charged, along with three others, with money laundering. Their bank accounts and other assets valued at a total of BGN 2 M have been frozen under the request of the Prosecutor's Office.

The investigation is ongoing.

[Junior]

Bulgarian police seize 12 tons of hashish
B92, July 5, 2012

SOFIA -- Bulgarian police discovered 12 tons of hashish from Morocco on Thursday in a warehouse near Sofia.

“This is the largest seizure of drugs in Bulgaria ever,” Directorate for Combat Against Organized Crime Director Stanimir Florov has stated.

The narcotics were destined for Belgium and the Netherlands and are worth around USD 450mn, news agencies have reported.

“The packages with drugs were thrown from a ship into the Black Sea off the Bulgarian coast and they were retrieved by fishermen who stashed them in a warehouse in the village of Mirovyane near Sofia,” Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said.

Bulgarian customs officers discovered 4.2 tons of hashish en route to Belgium at the border with Romania on July 2. The police pointed out that the two cases were connected.

“Bulgaria has informed the Netherlands, Belgium and Europol,” stated Bulgarian Interior Minister Cvetan Cvetanov and added that his country “is honoring its obligations in protection of European Union’s borders”.

Bulgaria represents one of the main heroin trafficking routes in the Balkans.

[Junior]

Bulgarian Oligarch Linked to Huge Tax Scam in Romania
Novinite.com, Thursday, July 26, 2012

Several Bulgarian "businessmen," including oligarch and football club owner, Grisha Ganchev, have been part of a huge tax fraud scam in Romania.

The news was reported by the online edition of Romania Libera daily and cited by the Bulgarian news agency BTA.

The organized crime ring has been busted by Romanian law enforcement, saying the group acted not only in Bulgaria and Romania, but also in several other EU Member States.

The Court in Bucharest issued early Thursday morning the first arrest warrants in the case. According to the prosecutors from the Directorate for Investigating Organized and Terrorism Crime, DIICOT, which busted the gang, the tax fraud is connected to food items and construction materials.

The Romanian publication notes that the group, based in the city of Giurgiu, is linked to a number of Bulgarian businessmen, including Ganchev.

The bust happened on Tuesday with police raiding 256 locations in Bucharest and in other cities. The prosecutors have requested the detention of about 40 individuals. The probe has found that the crime group has inflicted damages to the State treasury in the amount of EUR 40 M a year for the 2010 – 2012 period.

The paper informs that crime boss Octavian Grecu AKA Butoane, Sorin Gazdac, son-in-law of Senator Cezar Magureanu, and one Lebanese citizen will be held behind bars for 29 days. Magureanu has been summoned for questioning and is expected to appear before DIICOT later Thursday

Grisha Ganchev is the owner of the Litex FC and the Litex company, based in the northern Bulgarian city of Lovech.

As of the end of 2011, Ganchev's joint venture with the Chinese company Great Wall Motors, Litex Motors, started the production of Chinese cars for the EU market in the Litex Motors factory near Bulgaria's Lovech, in the village of Bahovitsa.

In May 2012, Grisha Ganchev was arrested and charged with running an organized crime group specialized in tax fraud and with issuing a murder threat.

The businessman was subsequently released on a bail of BGN 500 000.

Ganchev is believed to be the mastermind of a six-strong group that was busted on May 11 after a joint operation of the Chief Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP) and the National Revenue Agency (NRA).

The special police operation resulted in six arrests, including Grisha Ganchev's son, Danail Ganchev.

Danail Ganchev, Milko Talev, Ivaylo Talev, Todor Simeonov, Milko Dimitrov and Kameliya Mircheva were charged with large-scale tax evasion and participation in organized crime.

In June, the Specialized Criminal Court released Danail Ganchev and Milko Dimitrov on a bail of BGN 100 000 each.

According to the magistrates' ruling, there is no evidence indicating that the two pose a real threat to society or that the two are likely to go into hiding.

The Specialized Criminal Court further imposed bails amounting to a total of BGN 20 000 for the two other defendants, Ivaylo Talev and Kamelia Mircheva.

The decision is not final and can be protested before the Specialized Appellate Court.

[Carmelo]

Prosecutor Charges Owner of Cocaine-Loaded Bulgarian Ship

The special anti-mafia Prosecutor's Office has charged Doychin Doychev, the owner of the Seaborne Trade company and of the ship SV Nikolay (Saint Nikolay) with participating in an organized crime group.

The charges stem from the he seizing of the 3 tons of cocaine from the Bulgarian ship off the Spanish coast.

He is being held behind bars for 72 hours pending appearance before a judge. Doychev insist his Burgas-based company was in charge of the security of sailing, but not of the load.

Ruslan Kolev, 37, from the capital Sofia, is going to be indicted on the same count later Saturday. He is believed to have been involved with the hiring of part of the crew and is also going to be held for 72 hours.

The authorities are still deciding who has been the group's leader.

The two, along Hristo Hristov, 46, also from Sofia, were arrested Thursday and all were released Friday evening. Dobrev and Kolev were rearrested Saturday. Hristov was allegedly the organizer of the narcotics transport. It remains unknown if he is to face charges as well.

On August 13, Spanish authorities nabbed 31 people, including 21 Bulgarians, after seizing 3 tons of cocaine brought from South America on a ship caught off the southern coast.

The operation codenamed Cartel has been carried out jointly by GDBOP, the French police, the US DEA and the UK COKA.

It was also reported that the ship, sailing under Bulgarian flag, has been intercepted and traced for two days and two nights by an ATR-42 aircraft of the Italian Finance Police.

The investigators believe that some of the detained sailors, particularly the captain, Ivan Stanchov, were part of the group. All remain behind bars in a maximum security facility in Spain.

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=142426

[Carmelo]

Sofia Anti-Mafia Police Bust Illegal Drug Trafficking Group

Bulgaria's Main Directorate for Combatting Organized Crime, GDBOP, have busted overnight Wednesday an organized crime group dealing with illegal drug trafficking.

After the raid of an automobile, parked at a paid parking lot on "Todor Alexandrov" boulevard in the capital Sofia, police confiscated 9 kg of heroin. The drug was placed in 17 packages, hidden in a special compartment between the trunk and the spare tire.

Seven people were arrested during the special operation.

The gang leader has been identified as Dimitar the Pellet from the southern city of Haskovo. He and most of the other members of the group have long rap sheets.

The Pellet has been sentenced for premeditated murder and for drug trafficking in neighboring Turkey. He has been released from Turkish jail in 2011.

The group has been linked to other illegal drugs found and seized by the police in the course of the year.

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=142960

[Carmelo]

Operation against organized crime under way in Bosnia, top drug kingpin reportedly targeted

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina — Authorities in Bosnia launched what they called a major operation on Wednesday against several organized crime groups suspected of involvement in at least six murders, several major robberies, illegal money transfers and drug trafficking.

The State Prosecutor’s office said in a statement that “several dozen people” were detained following scores of raids in different parts of the country.

Goran Zubac, the head of Bosnia’s state security agency, said the operation was focusing on 43 suspects.

Local media said they include Kosovo-born Bosnian businessman Naser Kelmendi, who was blacklisted by the U.S. this year for allegedly running a major cocaine and heroin trafficking organization.

The media published photos of police searching a Sarajevo hotel belonging to Kelmendi family, but said Naser Kelmendi is not in Bosnia now. The authorities refused to confirm he was a suspect, saying the operation was just getting under way.

Zubac called it the country’s largest-ever crackdown on organized crime and said local law enforcement agencies had received significant support in preparing it from neighboring Serbia.

He said the people targeted by the operation are, among other things, suspected of the 2007 slaying of Bosnian Muslim warlord Ramiz Delalic who had become a major figure in the country’s criminal underworld following the 1992-95 Bosnian war.

“We already identified all members of this criminal network, we established what crimes they committed and how, and we also identified their cronies, including from within security and other government structures,” in Bosnia, Zubac said, without elaborating.

Organized crime flourished in the Balkans during the wars of the 1990s, and the region is still believed to be a major transit route for smuggling of drugs and cigarettes into the European Union. However, Balkan countries striving to join the 27-nations block have recently stepped up their efforts to curb the organized crime.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe...f8eb_story.html