08 July 2011 | 15:59 | FOCUS News Agency

http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n254090

Stara Zagora. Officers with the District Interior Ministry Directorate – Stara Zagora carried out a high-profile police operation in the city of Stara Zagora and neutralised an organised criminal group dealing with computer crimes and money laundering, the press office of the Interior Ministry announced. The special police operation is codenamed the Transfers and has been realised under the direct supervision of the District Prosecution Office of Stara Zagora.

Authorities started an investigation over information that a group of several people is being involved in laundering of money acquired though criminal activities in the US and the EU, mainly in Germany and the Netherlands.

The criminals used to take advantage of the weak points of the security systems of banking institutions or careless clients and thus they obtained data about the accounts of foreign physical or juridical persons. After obtaining the needed information the criminals used to order money transfers through online banking service to bank accounts in Bulgaria, owned by people with criminal record and of poor financial or mental state.

Right after the money has been transferred it has been withdrawn and then given to the members of the organised criminal group – in cash or through companies offering money transfer services.

The investigation revealed that the financial harm caused by the group so far is estimated at around BGN 160,000.

In the frames of the investigation it has been ascertained that certain people used to open bank accounts in Bulgarian levs or foreign currency (US dollars) and in the time between September 2010 – June 2011 the transferred sums through the bank accounts is estimated at more than USD 30,000 and EUR 50,000. Part of the sums have been withdrawn immediately after the transfers

After an inquiry made by the Bulgarian law-enforcement authorities to the European partners, in the International Operative Police Cooperation Directorate – Europol, there was information about the arrested Bulgarian citizens, who have opened bank accounts in German banks. They have been used for the same purpose – to transfer money, acquired through illegal activities, following the abovementioned scheme. The sum that has been transferred is of EUR 46,000.

For one of the persons detained abroad – M.K. (42), has been ascertained that he is member of the organised criminal group that has been neutralised today.

6 different addresses and 2 vehicles have been raided in the frames of the police operation. Authorities have found many bank documents, car documents, numbers of bank accounts, cell phones, laptops, flash memories, EUR 550, and others.

Four people have been detained so far – M.K. (42), K.G. (35), S.D. (27), M.Zh. (39). A fifth person is declared for search.