Three Bulgarians accused of large scale production and distribution of pirated discs in Russia, could possibly also be prosecuted in Bulgaria, Bulgarian daily Sega said.

The three have been formally charged in a Moscow court in Moscow and face up to six years in prison if convicted.

The Bulgarian Supreme Prosecution of Cassation has asked the Bulgarian embassy to Russia to request details in the case brought against the three. Based on the information that Russian authorities will provide, Bulgarian prosecutors could decide to formally press charges in a Bulgarian court as well, Sega said.

The three Bulgarians had been arrested after the search of an office in the Bulgarian Centre for Industry in Moscow, an arrest which caused tension between the two countries over questions about the diplomatic status and, respectively, immunity of the offices.

The three are formally charged with copyright infringement and the organisation of production and distribution of pirated discs in large quantities, Sega said.

No date had yet been set for the first court hearing, but Sega quoted unnamed sources as saying that the investigation could take months because of the amount of evidence provided.

The Russian interior ministry said that it had searched seven production facilities for pirated discs in Moscow and the city's region, which were said to have included a total of 23 production lines, with equipment estimated worth more than $20 million.

The three Bulgarians were thought to be connected to two of the facilities.

No specific details had been published as to the accusations against the three Bulgarians, Sega said.