Scotland Yard was sending British detectives to Eastern Europe to help local police with crime-fighting techniques, The Times reported.

UK was concerned that Bulgarian and Romanian organised crime groups will make use of the two countries' EU accession to 'import' crime to the union.

A team of up to five Scotland Yard officers would arrive in Bulgaria in the forthcoming weeks “to advise local officers and improve liaison,” The Times said.

The sending of Scotland Yard officers is part of a programme by UK and other EU countries to modernise the judicial systems of Bulgaria and Romania.

Under the same programme several senior police officers from the two countries had been brought to Britain for training. Bulgarian prosecutors were also receiving help.

EU countries were concerned that Bulgaria's accession to the EU would “give corrupt Bulgarian police officers access to confidential information that they could use to protect their crime partners,” The Times said.