Five charged after disruption of a racketeering and loan sharking criminal group

Five people have been charged after the Prosecutor’s Office and police in Sofia disrupted an organised criminal group created for the purpose of racketeering, property fraud and loan sharking. This was announced at a briefing by the Prosecutor's Office and the Chief Directorate for Combatting Organised Crime on October 7.

Thirteen of the detained are testifying against the five defendants when they learned that the Roma barons, known as Meto and Traicho, were also arrested.

All the accused have been detained for 72 hours. Today, the Prosecutor's Office will submit a request for remand.

The alleged criminal group was disrupted on October 5 after an operation in Sofia’s residential districts “Hristo Botev”, “Vrazhdebna”, “Levski”, “Druzhba” and “Dimitar Milenkov”.

The detainees have lengthly previous criminal record. They have been sentenced of crimes against the person - bodily integrity, sexual integrity and threats to kill.

Investigators call on victims of the group's criminal activity to report it to the authorities.

Active investigative activities are still ongoing. According to the evidence gathered so far, the group has been operating since the beginning of 2014. Searches of homes and cars were carried out, including money, valuables and drugs. Three luxury cars were confiscated.

43 persons were questioned as witnesses. Not all of them were victims, some of them were connected to the group. However, many victims are reluctant to testify. The targets were different - both Roma and Bulgarians, including people in poor financial condition.

The group was created for the purpose of the so-called usury and extortion in connection with this activity, as well as the distribution of drugs, property fraud and recruitment of women for prostitution.

The group has worked together with private bailiffs to commit property fraud - acquisition of apartments.

Investigators also have information that the group used a "police umbrella" from the Fifth Police Department, which explains the fears of witnesses to speak against the leader.