Twenty custom officers at Bulgaria's Kulata border checkpoint diverted nearly 2.5 million euro from the state budget, mediapool.com reported.

The officers were part of a corruption scheme uncovered after seven months of investigation, mediapool.bg said.

Funds were diverted through incorrect accounting of taxes collected from vehicles entry in Bulgaria. Custom officers counted only part of the sum collected, mediapool.bg said.

The officers carried on such practices from 2002 to 2004. They were also suspected of producing fake documents and being involved in illegal car trade, mediapool.bg said.

Police found 2000 weekly vignettes valuing 75 000 euro while searching the officers. The vignettes were probably stolen.

Most officers no longer worked in customs agencies,  mediapool.bg said.