A specialized operation by the General Directorate "Combating Organized Crime" (GDCOC) uncovered an organized criminal group involved in embezzlement of foreign goods and valuables at "Customs-Ruse". According to the available information, the stolen items had been seized in the course of various administrative and penalty proceedings, with the responsibility for their storage being assigned precisely to the employees involved in the scheme. This became clear from yesterday's actions of the GDCOC in the territorial directorate of the "Customs" Agency in Ruse.
Within the framework of the investigation, which is being conducted under the supervision of the prosecution, numerous investigative actions have been carried out both in the Ruse region and in the city of Sofia. These include inspections of crime scenes, over 30 searches of various addresses – office premises, private properties, and motor vehicles. 15 witnesses have also been questioned, whose testimonies will be crucial for clarifying the circumstances surrounding the criminal activity.
The results of the conducted operation are impressive. Items, documents, and cash in various currencies with a total value of over 60,000 leva have been found and seized. Also, over 300 grams of investment gold and silver have been confiscated, numerous textile articles, cosmetics and equipment from protected trademarks, as well as a significant quantity of cigarettes without excise stamps, directly related to the investigation. Separately, the lack of more than 2500 liters of diesel fuel is being checked, which is also the subject of the investigation.
During the operation, which undoubtedly represented complex and coordinated work, experts from the "Cybercrime" Directorate within the GDCOC also took part. Numerous expert examinations have been appointed, and the necessary documents have been requested, which will support the investigation process and will help to form a final assessment.
After analyzing the collected evidence and receiving the expert conclusions, an assessment is pending for bringing specific charges against the employees involved in the criminal activity. The work to uncover the complete picture of the abuses continues with full force. If the guilt of the suspects is proven, the Criminal Code provides for imprisonment from five to 15 years for such crimes, which underlines the seriousness of the charges.