16 YEARS FOR KUJOVIC
The district court in Haskovo convicted Montenegrin-born alleged drug boss Budimir Kujovic to 16 years’ imprisonment for founding, organising and directing a criminal group for heroin trafficking, plus a two year suspended sentence for illegally crossing the Bulgarian border and a fine of 221 000 leva in addition to court expenses. Three Bulgarians, belonging to the same group, were sentenced to between 12 and 15 years’ imprisonment and fines ranging from 120 to 200 000 leva. Sentences were handed down on July 25 2008. At the time of the arrest, the four were in possession of heroin and amphetamines, estimated to be worth more than seven million leva. Kujovic’s lawyers said they would appeal because their client was “absolutely innocent”.
MAN SHOT DEAD IN KAZANLUK
A man, later identified as Totyo Totev, aka Boretsa (the wrestler, which in Bulgaria is also used to mean criminal), was found dead in the central Bulgarian town of Kazanluk on the morning of July 29. Totev was found next to a black Mercedes, parked in front of his house. He was shot in the head and chest, Focus news agency said. Officially, Totev sold cherries and raised horses. According to local media, however, he was a close acquaintance of Zlatomir Ivanov, known as Zlatko Baretata, who had been “called in for a conversation” at the State Agency for National Security (SANS) on July 23.
BONCHEV KIDNAPPING DRAMA ENDS
Kamelia Boncheva, who had been kidnapped on July 10 when delivering a “down payment” to the kidnappers of her husband, former president of Litex Lovech football club, Angel Bonchev, was released on July 30 2008, the Interior Ministry announced. Boncheva was found in Sofia’s Kazichene neighbourhood a day after Angel Bonchev donated 157 000 euro to the Utre za Vseki foundation, which fights breast cancer. Bonchev told commercial bTV that he had gathered the money from friends to serve as ransom money for his wife, but because he had not heard any news about her for 19 days, he decided to donate the money to the foundation instead. Boncheva was released about six hours later.
