site.btaNine People Probed for Running Human Trafficking Ring

The Burgas District Prosecutor's Office has initiated pre-trial proceedings against an organized criminal group that was carrying out illegal trafficking of migrants on the territory of Bulgaria, Hristo Kolev, the supervising prosecutor, said at a press conference on Thursday.

Seven people were detained during an operation, which was carried out on June 3 with the joint actions of the prosecutor's office, Border Police, General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and the State Agency for National Security. An eighth person was arrested the day before for trying to leave the country. The total number of accused is nine, with one of the persons being charged missing, as he is not on the territory of Bulgaria. 

According to the investigation, the criminal group operated from June 2024 to January 2025. The migrants were transported in specially adapted vehicles with secret compartments. "This is a large-scale international operation in which partner services from Romania, Greece and Moldova participated. We also received significant support from Europol, which significantly contributed to the success of the actions," said Senior Commissioner Stoyan Mandazhiev, Deputy Director of the Border Police General Directorate.

The migrants being trafficked were mainly bound for France, the UK and countries from Central Europe, he noted, adding that the price that the migrants paid to cross the country varied between EUR 5,000 and 18,000.

Mandazhiev stressed that there has been a significant decrease in migration pressure in 2025.