Bulgarian police bust organised crime group dealing in archaeological treasures
Bulgarian police said on March 20 that they had carried out a special operation five days earlier in which an organised crime group trafficking archaeolical treasures had been bust.
The operation involved anti-organised crime police who specialise in acting against trafficking of cultural valuables, along with police from Plovdiv, Pazardzhik, Smolyan and Stara Zagora. The Special Prosecutor’s Office is initiating pre-trial proceedings.
In the course of the investigation, the crime group was found to be part of an international channel for the trafficking of archaeological valuables, acquired by treasure hunters on the territory of Bulgaria.
In all, the operation uncovered 85 ancient coins and 10 decorative objects, while also seized were mobile phones, computers, SIM cards and other devices.
Also found were numismatic cataologues and documents from auction houses in Germany, Austria and the UK, the Interior Ministry said. The investigation into documenting the entire criminal activity of the group was continuing under the supervision of the Special Prosecutor’s Office, the statement said.
