Guns, not butter: Bulgarian police bust illegal firearms workshop at flour mill
When Bulgarian police, acting on a tipoff, raided a bread production house in the town of Assenovgrad, they established that it was indeed a case of guns, not butter, when they found a workshop for the illegal production and modification of firearms and small arms components.
The Interior Ministry said that the operation, by the General Directorate for Combating Organised Crime, was a result of good operation between the directorate and Netherlands police.
Police, checking several buildings involved with the flour mill and bread production operation, found facilities to produce firearms and convert gas pistols into firearms. They confiscated two illegal rifles, a silenced firearm, and other small arms parts.
In an office, police found two rifles, three automatic pistols and ammunition, while in a concealed compartment behind a wall cupboard, they found three Kalashnikov assault rifles, 15 other firearms, a hand-made automatic firearms, two pistols, two rifles, two silencers and 1100 cartridges of various calibres.
A 44-year-old man from Plovdiv was arrested after being unable to produce documentation certifying the legality of the firearms operation. According to the Interior Ministry, the man has previous convictions for assault with intent to commit grievous bodily harm, hooliganism and other offences.
The matter has been referred to the Regional Prosecutors Officer in Assenovgrad and investigations are proceeding, the Interior Ministry said.
(Photos: Interior Ministry press centre)
