site.btaFour Arrested after Law-enforcement Operation against Three Torrent Sites

Four individuals were detained in an operation to shut down torrent sites violating copyright laws, outgoing Interior Minister Daniel Mitov told journalists on Friday in Dimitrovgrad, where he attended the opening ceremony for the renovated building of the local fire department. He described the action as a complex and well-coordinated international operation and said that the prosecution service, the National Investigation Service (NIS) and the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDCOC) would provide further details when appropriate. 

The prosecution service said on its website that the operation targeted three of the largest EU-based torrent platforms illegally distributing copyright-protected materials. Authorities identified the individuals who administered the torrent trackers ArenaBG, Zamunda, and Zelka, thereby providing unauthorized access to films, music, games, software, and other forms of intellectual property. Searches and seizures were carried out at 30 addresses across the country. Steps are being taken to terminate access to the illegal content and remove the platforms. The collected evidence is yet to be assessed and that individuals involved are to be formally charged.

During the operation, offices of accounting firms and other premises were searched, and data related to possible money laundering were also collected. A comprehensive computer and technical forensic examination of the seized equipment is to be commissioned.

The operation was conducted under the supervision of the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office and the Sofia District Prosecutor's Office by teams from the GDCOC, NIS and the State Agency for National Security.

The prosecution service noted that acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov is coordinating the actions of the Bulgarian authorities with representatives of the US Department of Homeland Security, the Homeland Security Investigations Country Attache office in Athens, the US Customs and Border Protection Attache office in Sofia, and the US Department of Justice office in Bucharest, including its International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property section.

Mitov confirmed that the action was carried out in cooperation with US authorities and Europol. He also noted that when he visited the United States in 2025, the issue of long-operating torrent sites was discussed. "For years, international partners together with Bulgarian institutions had been trying to address the problem, but without success until recently. Over the past few months, work with US agencies, Europol, the General Directorate Combating Organized Crime, and Bulgaria’s investigative authorities had led to tangible results," he emphasized.