A known criminal, Yanko Popov aka Tutsi had ordered the murder of Yuriy Galev, the controversial president of Rilski Sportist football club and municipal councilor in the town of Samokov.

The information was reported Saturday by Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, who spoke during a special press conference about the Friday police operation codenamed “Killers.”

Tsvetanov confirmed the President of the Bulgarian Sumo Federation, Petar Stoyanov, who was arrested with 19 other people, is one of those ordering Galev’s murder, adding Stoyanov has a rap sheet for pimping and racketeering. The other person ordering the murder was identified by the Minister as Vasil Kostov.

Kostov had also organized a murder in the city of Shumen while two young men from the town of Cherven Bryag, whose whereabouts are still unknown, are the most likely perpetrators.

Another known criminal, Metodi Ivanov, had been the keeper of the gun with which Galev was murdered. During the raid of Ivanov’s house the police found a “Kalashnikov” machine gun, illegal explosives, a rifle, 4 500 bullets and some fake currency bills.

The actual shooter was identified as Georgi Petkov aka Damchi, also from the town of Cherven Bryag. Petkov is among those arrested.

15 of the 20 individuals detained Friday have been interrogated only as witnesses and have been released. Legal charges will be pressed against the other 5.

Part of the group members are also connected to some other high-profile mafia killings in the recent past, Tsvetanov said, but did not offer more details.

In an interview for Darik radio Saturday morning the Minister announced the connection between the “Killers” and Galev’s murder. Galev, who was brutally shot June 20, passed away in hospital on June 30.

Bulgaria’s Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, was also present at the press conference. He informed the investigation will lead to more murders for hire and gave high marks to the work of the police, the Prosecutor’s Office and the National Agency for State Security (DANS).

Borisov further appealed to the Chair of the Supreme Court of Cassations, Lazar Gruev, to come forward and admit the magistrates who let Metodi Ivanov go free on probation in another case, were very wrong.