On June 22 2009, Bulgarian and international media reported an announcement by the country's National Revenue Agency that it would investigate more than 100 owners of luxury Bentley cars.

The announcement comes weeks after announcements in early May, when, as reported by The Sofia Echo, investigations by the NRA and the State Agency National Security (SANS) had targeted 400 companies and at least 150 individuals in connection with suspected undeclared income and other forms of tax evasion.

At the time, the 150 individuals were said to each own property worth more than 500 000 leva on the outskirts of Sofia, but whose tax declarations did not show income to support such wealth.

As part of that investigation, SANS had found 112 Bentley cars, whose owners had filed tax declarations that raised questions, Bulgarian daily Standart said in early May.

Earlier in the year, NRA and SANS had targeted owners of more than 230 luxury yachts and tightened control on borrowers and lenders.

The investigations were part of the agency's fight against tax and income fraud and an attempt to increase tax revenue collected.

According to Finance Ministry figures, in the first three months of 2009, tax revenue collected was 20.3 per cent of the full-year target, compared to 25.2 per cent for the same period of 2008. In real terms, revenue collected in the first quarter of 2009 was down by 360 million leva, compared to the same period the year before.

Standart said expected tax revenues by the end of the fiscal year would be three per cent higher than in 2008.