A number of countries from North and East Africa, as well as Central and South America, are havens of choice for Bulgarian criminals who have escaped the country.

The list of the 15 most attractive countries for runaways, complied after a research by Bulgarian investigation authorities, consists of Egypt, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Columbia, Venezuela, Brazil, Equador, Peru, Chili, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia and RSA.

Bulgaria has no bilateral agreements for legal help or extradition of criminals with any of those countries except South Africa.

According to investigators, fleeing criminals use 3 main transfer zones to reach their destination: Spain and Portugal on to America, North Africa, as well as Bulgaria's Black Sea border, on to Turkey or Russia.

For 2010, 160 Bulgarians have been repatriated, while authorities have sent 280 international arrest warrants. Since the start of 117, the number of wanted suspects returned is 117.