Bulgaria Steel Mill, Taxi Operator Linked to Smashed Crime Gang

Crime | February 12, 2010, Friday // 17:45
Bulgaria: Bulgaria Steel Mill, Taxi Operator Linked to Smashed Crime Gang Former Bulgarian secret agent Aleksei Petrov (pictured) and six other suspects appeared before a court in Sofia on Friday on charges of money laundering, racketeering, drug trafficking, bribery and tax fraud. Photo by BGNES

The members of the powerful crime gang, which was smashed earlier in the week in the Bulgarian capital Sofia, are all highly educated businessmen, it emerged on Friday.

Former Bulgarian secret agent Aleksei Petrov and six other suspects appeared before a court in Sofia on Friday on allegations of being involved for more than a decade in money laundering, racketeering, drug trafficking, bribery and tax fraud.

The court is expected to rule on the prosecution's request for Petrov and the other suspects to be kept in detention.

The bigger part of the accusations have been based on the testimony of an employee at the S Express taxi company, better known in Bulgaria as “1280”, prosecutors said.

The woman told the investigators that Aleksei Petrov is the company's real owner and disclosed corrupt accountancy schemes in serving the leasing contracts of the taxi cabs.

Prosecutors said that during the overnight swoop in the capital Sofia, dubbed Operation Octopus, police checked locations for paid sex and interrogated a number of prostitutes and body guards.

All of them cited the name of Dimitar Mitov, aka Mitko the Policeman, who is believed to be a close ally to Aleksei Petrov. Following Operation Octopus Mitov ran into hiding and now is being wanted by the police.

According to prosecutors the money earned at the sex clubs were handed over to Anton Petrov, aka the Hamster, who passed it over to Aleksei Petrov.

The group is also suspected of siphoning off funds from now insolvent steelmaker Kremikovtzi.

The accusations linked to the steel mill have been based on the testimonies of a number of witnesses, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Witnesses said that Aleksei Petrov kept an office at Kremikovtzi, even though he has never been officially appointed. Following an order to leave the building, he threatened the then director of the company Alexander Tomov.

According to witnesses Aleksei Petrov provided security services for the company, which paid him BGN 700,000 each month.

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Tags: Aleksei Petrov, Octopus, Sofia City Court, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, arrest, special operation

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