Bulgarian Court Adjourns Case against Contraband Gang

Crime | July 19, 2010, Monday // 11:32
Bulgaria: Bulgarian Court Adjourns Case against Contraband Gang The trial against the Bulgarian alleged underworld boss Nikolay Metodiev, aka Pileto, has been adjourned to October 13. Photo by BGNES

The Sofia City Court has adjourned the case against the alleged underworld boss, Nikolay Metodiev, aka Pileto (the Chicken), and his compliances to October 13.

The hearing, which was supposed to happen Monday, was postponed due to the absence of one of the other defendants' lawyer.

Metodiev and 18 other people have been accused of contraband of Chinese goods worth nearly BGN 4 M. He operated his dirty business in 2002 and 2003, the prosecution claims, and he had customs officers and truck driver to help him out.

Metodiev was first arrested in 2003 as Bulgarian policemen busted an illegal channel for imports of Chinese goods. Four customs officers also got under investigation in connection to the case.

Pileto is said to be an associate of another notorious businessman - Konstantin Dimitrov dubbed Samokovetsa - who was shot dead in Amsterdam December 2003.

The total number of witnesses on the case is 128. The trial has been postponed several times for different reasons.

If found guilty, Metodiev could face up to 10 years imprisonment and a BGN 50 000 to BGN 200 000 fine. 

Pileto has already been convicted once. However, he got away with a BGN 700 fine for threatening of two policee officers, who have been guarding some of his detained trucks. 

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Tags: contraband, pileto, nikolay metodiev, Sofia City Court, nikolay metodiev

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