Bulgaria Nears Completion of Leva Withdrawal as 81% Taken Out of Circulation
As of February 6, 2026, Bulgaria continues to make steady progress in withdrawing the national currency, the leva, from circulation.
Bulgarian Anti-mafia Police, DEA Bust Money Laundering Gang
Crime | May 19, 2012, Saturday // 12:56
- Tweet
Send to Kindle
Bulgaria's special anti-mafia police have busted an international gang laundering money from illegal drugs trafficking on the country's territory. File photo
Bulgaria's Unit for Combatting Organized Crime, GDBOP, and the US' DEA have jointly carried out a special police operation codenamed "The Launderers."
The Bulgarian special anti-mafia Prosecutor's Office led the operation.
An organized crime group, part of an international organization, acting in Bulgaria, has been neutralized. The criminals dealt with the laundering of money from narcotics trafficking from South America to Europe, transiting through Bulgaria.
The money, coming from countries such as Venezuela, has been deposited in the personal bank accounts in Bulgaria of the members of the group, and then was immediately wired to China, Hong Kong, Spain and the US. The total amount, according to estimates, exceeds BGN 5 M.
Three addresses in Sofia have been raided and the police confiscated as evidence bank, business and tax documents, personal computers, and cell phones.
Three men are under arrest. They are charged, along with three others, with money laundering. Their bank accounts and other assets valued at a total of BGN 2 M have been frozen under the request of the Prosecutor's Office.
The investigation is ongoing.
Related Articles:
Sofia Property Prices Surge: €500 per Square Metre Increase Shocks Buyers
Property values in Sofia have surged by approximately €500 per square metre over the past year, according to data from one of Bulgaria’s largest real estate agencies. Across the country’s main cities, housing costs climbed by 20% in the final quarter of 2
Bulgaria Faces Variable Weather on Wednesday, Snow Expected in Mountain Areas
According to the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, Wednesday, February 11, will bring varied weather conditions across the country.
Bulgarian Central Bank Reports New 10-Year Government Debt Issue Worth €150 Million
Bulgaria has taken on new debt amounting to 150 million euros through the issuance of government securities, according to results published on the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) website.
The Petrohan Case in Bulgaria: Prosecutors Outline Two Murders and One Suicide
The Prosecutor’s Office has released further details regarding the investigation into the deaths of six individuals connected to the incidents at the Petrohan lodge and under Okolchitsa Peak
Crime | February 10, 2026, Tuesday // 16:29
Bulgaria: Industrial Production Climbs Slightly, Construction Contracts in December 2025
In December 2025, Bulgaria’s industrial sector showed modest growth following two consecutive months of decline, yet on an annual basis, production fell for the 13th month in a row.
The Petrohan Case in Bulgaria: Prosecutors Outline Two Murders and One Suicide
The Prosecutor’s Office has released further details regarding the investigation into the deaths of six individuals connected to the incidents at the Petrohan lodge and under Okolchitsa Peak
Crime | February 10, 2026, Tuesday // 16:29
Bulgaria's Petrohan Case: One Victim’s Mother Rejects Suicide Theory, Calls Deaths Professional Killings
Ralitsa Asenova, the mother of 22-year-old Nikolay Zlatkov, whose body was discovered in a camper near Okolchitsa Peak alongside Ivaylo Kalushev and a 15-year-old boy, has publicly challenged the official versions announced so far in the investigation.
Crime | February 10, 2026, Tuesday // 10:00
Bulgarian Authorities Release Shocking Petrohan Footage: The Last Hours Before Six Deaths
Authorities have revealed that Ivaylo Ivanov, Decho Vassilev, and Plamen Stattev were found dead in the Petrohan lodge after setting it on fire. This conclusion, presented by the Ministry of Interior and the Prosecutor’s Office, follows the release of thr
Crime | February 9, 2026, Monday // 16:42
Investigation Launched After Suspected Fake 20-Euro Banknote Used in Pernik
Investigators in the western Bulgarian city of Pernik are examining a case involving an attempted payment with a suspected counterfeit 20-euro banknote, according to the regional spokesperson of the Interior Ministry, Ventsislav Aleksov.
Crime | February 9, 2026, Monday // 14:42
Elderly Pedestrian Killed by Truck in Sofia, Driver Flees Scene
A fatal accident occurred on Shipchenski Prohod Boulevard in Sofia this morning when a truck struck an elderly pedestrian, police confirmed. The collision took place near Ivan Dimitrov-Kuklata Street, close to tram stop No. 20.
Crime | February 9, 2026, Monday // 12:08
The Petrohan Case: Six Deaths, Few Answers and a Week of Silence
For more than a week, public attention in Bulgaria has been focused on an opaque and disturbing criminal case, marked by a near-total lack of official information and an overflow of assumptions, unofficial versions and outright conspiracies circulating in
Crime | February 9, 2026, Monday // 10:00
