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Sat, Feb 11 2012
Bulgarian Interior Ministry busts road police racketeering group
Tsvetan Tsvetanov
Photo: Krassimir Yuskesseliev
Eight Bulgarian road police officers from the town of Byala Slatina in north-western Bulgaria were arrested on suspicion of forming an organised crime ring that issued illegal traffic tickets and racketeered drivers, Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov said, as quoted by news agency Focus.
An investigation launched a month ago by the ministry's internal affairs department resulted in the arrest of the eight road police officers on September 11, he said. After a search, police officers found more than 3600 rounds of ammunition, a metal detector, an illegal radar and more than 500 traffic tickets.
The ring has been operating for some time, stopping cars with Bulgarian and foreign licence plates both, and was well-known in the Vratsa region. The traffic tickets were never filed with the appropriate authorities and the group just kept the money.
On September 13, the head of the Byala Slatina police department, Toni Kostadinov, said he knew nothing about the group, claiming that he was yet to return from his summer leave, Focus said.
Kostadinov said he was surprised by the arrests and was not present during them.
If the entire town knew about the gang and their superior did not, that means that he did not have enough control over the work of his people, Tsvetanov said, as quoted by Focus.
An investigation launched a month ago by the ministry's internal affairs department resulted in the arrest of the eight road police officers on September 11, he said. After a search, police officers found more than 3600 rounds of ammunition, a metal detector, an illegal radar and more than 500 traffic tickets.
The ring has been operating for some time, stopping cars with Bulgarian and foreign licence plates both, and was well-known in the Vratsa region. The traffic tickets were never filed with the appropriate authorities and the group just kept the money.
On September 13, the head of the Byala Slatina police department, Toni Kostadinov, said he knew nothing about the group, claiming that he was yet to return from his summer leave, Focus said.
Kostadinov said he was surprised by the arrests and was not present during them.
If the entire town knew about the gang and their superior did not, that means that he did not have enough control over the work of his people, Tsvetanov said, as quoted by Focus.
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When to Bulgaria to produce residents who can start contributing to raising the country's wealth?
Everyone seems to be born to suck out his country for short-term gains.