site.btaBulgaria Participates in Europol Operation for Illegal Assets Forfeiture

Europol, in cooperation with law enforcement agencies from 31 countries, including Bulgaria, and leading private-sector partners, has concluded the third and most successful operational week of Project A.S.S.E.T. (Asset Search & Seize Enforcement Taskforce). The initiative is organized by Europol’s European Financial and Economic Crime Centre (EFECC) and is a key element in the global fight against serious and organized crime and the seizure of criminal assets, the Bulgarian prosecution service reported Friday.

Bulgaria’s contribution to the operation consists of the work of the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDCOC) on pre-trial proceedings led by the Sofia City Prosecution Office and related to money laundering in connection with the illicit trade in artifacts and cultural property.

At the end of April, during a specialized police operation by officers from the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDCOC) and the State Agency for National Security (SANS), over four thousand items bearing the hallmarks of cultural property were seized. Four people were detained during the operation. Investigative actions were carried out at seven addresses in Blagoevgrad, Sandanski, and Kyustendil, as well as in a vehicle. Law enforcers seized 3,819 ancient coins, 180 ancient objects bearing the hallmarks of cultural property, 13 ancient rings, as well as four metal detectors, electronic devices, ammunition, and over EUR 5,000.

In November 2025, more than 20 people were charged with trafficking in antiquities and money laundering; most of them are Bulgarian but hold dual citizenship. The criminal group had been operating for over 16 years in Western Europe, the Balkans, the United States, and other countries. To date, over USD 1 billion has been identified in connection with the money laundering aspect of the case.