Serbian police disrupts criminal group for migrant smuggling through Bulgaria

In a large-scale police raid in Serbia, 9 members of an organised criminal group for trafficking illegal migrants across the border with Bulgaria were detained, Serbian "Telegraf" reported on December 14.

During the raid by the Serbian Ministry of Interior and the Prosecutor's office, it was found that for a fee of 300 to 1,000 euros per person, the criminal group had helped migrants to illegally cross the state border with Bulgaria, to get across Serbia, with the intention of being transported further into EU.

"Members of the working group of the Ministry of the Interior dealing with the problems of illegal migration, in cooperation with the police department of the town of Vranje in southern Serbia, the Prosecutor's Office for combating organised crime and the Higher Prosecutor's Office in Vranje, Presevo and Surdulica, detained 9 members of an organised criminal group on the grounds of suspicion that they had committed the crime of "illegal crossing of the state border and trafficking in human beings", an official statement said.

A 34-year-old man is also wanted in relation to the case.

With the help of the criminal group, the illegal migrants illegally crossed the state border between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Bulgaria with transport to Presevo, and then to Belgrade, Subotica and Sombor, with the intention of further transport to European Union countries. It is suspected that the members of the organised criminal group thus facilitated the illegal crossing of the state border and the transportation of 90 irregular migrants from August to October 2022, splitting the money obtained among themselves.

During searches of apartments and other premises used by the suspects, five vehicles, 13 mobile phones, several SIM cards, as well as 23,010 euros, 82,300 dinars, 30 kuna and 220 denars were seized.

The suspects have been detained for up to 48 hours and will be referred to the Prosecutor’ office.

Source: BGNES

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