site.btaInvestigation Being Conducted Into Ruse Customs Agency Employees Committing Embezzlement

The Ruse District Prosecutor's Office announced Wednesday that an investigation was being conducted into an organised criminal group consisting of employees of the Customs Agency in Ruse who had been embezzling foreign goods and valuables.

The goods had been seized in the course of various administrative-criminal proceedings at the Customs Agency and entrusted to the employees to guard them. An operation by the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime was being carried out here on Tuesday, District Prosecutor Radoslav Gradev told BTA. 

The prosecutor's office informed that numerous investigative actions have been carried out on the territory of Ruse Region and in Sofia, including inspections of crime scenes, over 30 searches of addresses, with 15 witnesses having been questioned. The prosecutor's office noted that full cooperation was provided by the director of the Customs Agency during the investigation.

During the operation, items, documents, cash in various currencies worth over BGN 60,000, over 300 grams of investment gold and silver, numerous different types of textile items, cosmetics and equipment from protected trademarks, as well as a significant amount of cigarettes without excise stamps, relevant to the investigation, were found and seized. The absence of more than 2,500 litres of diesel fuel is also being investigated.

After analyzing the evidence and receiving the expert conclusions, an assessment will be made to bring specific charges against the relevant employees, who could face five to 15 years in prison for the crime.