Despite reforms in its Penal Code Bulgaria still had difficulty dealing with organised crime, French daily Le Figaro reported.

Its border checkpoint Kapitan Andreevo has turned into one of the most important entry points for traffickers from the region the report said. Trafficking of drugs, vehicles, smuggled goods and people passed through Kapitan Andreevo, a checkpoint soon to turn into external EU border.

Between 1999 and 2005 customs officers at Kapitan Andreevo seized 6 500 tons of drugs, nearly half of which heroin.

Progress was achieved through the provision of EU funds for the modernisation of Bulgaria’s customs information system, the report said.

Bulgaria was moving away from its dark past, the report said. Yet, 120 public murders occurred in the country over the past years and the culprits were still free.

Le Figaro quoted the report of head of Germany's criminal investigation office Klaus Jansen saying that high-level officials had connections to criminal organisations in the country.