Charges pressed against police officers arrested for corruption

Four of the five arrested police officers from the Fourth District Police Station in Sofia will be charged with trading in influence and extortio, the prosecutor's office said on 25^th of January.

The five police officers from the economic police unit of the Fourth Regional Police Station in Sofia were detained on 24th of January in a joint operation by the police and the special prosecutor’s office. They have been investigated for allegedly taking money and blackmailing traders working in the Lozenets district of Sofia.

Investigators provided more details on the case on 25^th of January. It became clear that the group had operated since early 2017. However, the investigation began at the end of last year after a trader filed an alert to the prosecutor's office. The Ministry of the Interior describedthe actions of the detained police officers as extremely arrogant.

The last bribe was actually handed over to the police officers in the building of the 4^th district police stations. The officers demanded 2,000 euros, but actually received 2,000 BGN. The participants in the group maintained a very good standard of living, they had expensive watches, drove expensive cars. Mainly owners of hookah bars, car dealers and expensive stores were the subject of the blackmail.

Dimitar Petrov, Administrative Director of Sofia Public Prosecution Office: As you know, all defendants caught with bribes recently say thetre was a set up and that the money was forced upon them. Bulgaria has become the state of forced upon money. One of the defence versions of the detainee is that the dye became visible on his hands not because he had touched the money, but had been handed a pen that was fixed with phosphorescent substance.

Angel Kanev, Chief Prosecutor: The group hierarchy follows the hierarchy of the Ministry of the Interior, as the head of the sector is also the head of the group and its organiser. The good news is that 1/3 of the staff in this sector have not succumbed to the group's attempts to involve them in it or to make their hands dirty.

The detained police officers will be accused of trading in influence and extortion. The prosecutor's office said property checks would be carried out. The prosecutor’s office announced that they will demand the heaviest measure - detention on remand.