Bulgaria Interior Minister Confident about 'Octopus' Mafia Evidence

Crime | February 19, 2010, Friday // 14:01
Bulgaria: Bulgaria Interior Minister Confident about 'Octopus' Mafia Evidence Bulgarian Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov has expressed his confidence in the evidence amassed against the 'Octopus' group. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov has declared his confidence in the evidence collected against Aleksei Petrov and Marcelo Dzholotov.

Both men were detained behind bars by the Sofia Court of Appeal on Thursday, for their alleged criminal activities in the "Octopus" group.

Minister Tsvetanov expressed his opinion that the "Octopus" had penetrated all state institutions, including the Interior Miniistry.

He made the point that all the state institutions needed to put their house in order, and convince the public that decisions are made objectively and not under the influence of the "Octopus" group.

"From here on we should be more motivated to prove their involvement," Tsvetanov said about those who were detained through operation "Octopus".

"The battle will not be easy, but the state will ultimately succeed," he said. "I hope that good judges are many more that the bad ones, that good policemen are many more than bad ones, and that good prosecutors are a lot more that bad ones."

"Obviously, the "Octopus" has spread its influence everywhere," the Interior Minister concluded.

Speaking also about Thurday's overnight drugs raid by police in Sofia, he observed: "Not a week, nor a day passes by in which we do not conduct similar operations."

His main concern was for the demotivation of Interior Ministry personnel, where, after the detention of such persons, with similar quantities of drugs, they may be released on bail, allowing them to return to the same criminal activity.

On the question whether the latest detainees were part of a major group of drug distributors, Tsvetanov said that drug distribution in Sofia is not carried out independently, judging by the quantities involved.

He pointed out that during the overnight operation police had seized about 4,9 kilos of marijuana, 2.,5 kilos of amphetamines and large quantities of cocaine and heroin.

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Tags: interior ministry, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, Alaksei Petrov, Marcelo Dzholotov, Octopus, drugs distribution

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