Bobi Tsankov, Bulgaria's new mafia stories writer, was shot dead over the redistribution of the drug market in Sofia, Darik radio reports, citing own sources.

Tsankov, who has alleged ties with the underworld, was killed in broad daylight in downtown Sofia Tuesday.

In their evening news, the Bulgarian National Television, BNT, also citing undisclosed sources, reported the version about the drug market shares as well, saying those who ordered the murder aimed at leading the investigation towards Stefan Bonev, aka “Sako”. In November 2009, Sako chased Bobi Tsankov by car in Sofia issuing death threats against him. The goal had been to discredit Sako and take over his drug market share.

The Sofia special police task force arrested Tuesday evening Sako and two other top crime bosses - Krasimir Marinov and Nikolay Marinov, aka the Marguin Brothers. The authorities confirmed the information about the arrests, but declined to say they were connected to Tsankov’s murder.

It was also reported that the victim's family and close ones have been interrogated and they denied ever receiving threats or Tsankov receiving threats, which, according to BNT, confirms the version about the drug market redistribution over the one that the journalist was killed because he was about to expose mafia and politicians’ dark secrets. The information is in stark contradiction with earlier media reports that in November Tsankov told police he had received death threats shortly before the publication of his book about the mafia.

Darik radio also says that the Marguins have been giving Tsankov large amounts of money in exchange of promissory notes through a middleman from the Bul Ins insurance company.

Earlier Tuesday night, in a special operation, the police searched the central office of the Bul Ins insurance company in the Lozenets Quarter, and the Tsarsko Selo hotel complex in the Simeonovo Quarter, which are both owned by the Marguin Brothers.

It was also reported that Tsankov has been lately a frequent visitor of the central court building in Sofia, and of Sofia District Prosecutor, Nikolay Kokinov. Kokinov commented the journalist had been going there over “professional reasons,” and declined to say if the murder has been related to scandalous media publications and disclosures on the part of the victim.