Hackers Broke into the Information System of the Bulgarian Customs

Bulgaria’s Directorate for Combatting Organised Crime is conducting a large-scale operation against an international organized criminal group, involving hackers who support smuggling of goods, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) said on 19th of May. Hackers have created malware to manipulate data from the customs information systems. To date, 23 people have been detained, including representatives of traders, former and current customs officers.

Officers of the Directorate for Combatting Organised Crime and the Specialized Prosecutor's Office are investigating an international organized crime group involved in goods smuggling without the knowledge and permission of the customs, as well as using computer systems to make changes, delete, add or destroy computer programmes.

So far it has been identiofied that the hackers have created malware to provide remote access to Customs Information Systems by introducing it into the computer systems of the Customs Agency. this way, different customs regimes are completed without actual movement of goods. Transits have been completed without the relevant vehicles appearing at customs offices, without actually carrying goods across borders and without any control.

Ther operations is simultanopusly taking place in the cities of Sofia, Dobrich, Varna, Dragoman and Kalotina.

Searches and seizures are carried out at homes, offices of companies and offices in the building of the Customs Agency in Sofia.

The operation is ongoing.