Bulgaria

• Local groups: car theft, fake fashion labels, serial burglaries over the entire European territory, money laundering

On June 20th, 2016 a truck shipped from Greece but originating in Bulgaria and driven by a Bulgarian was stopped at the port of Brindisi. Inside the truck, reports the DIA in 2016, 900 fake fashion garments bearing well-known designer labels were seized and confiscated. Moreover, Europol, in its annual report mentions Bulgarian groups several times in relation to auto theft and burglaries throughout Europe.

Serial crimes carried out by a transnational criminal organisation. In the study into Russian Speaking Organised Crime Groups in the EU, cases of money-laundering from Russia are reported. The Organised crime portfolio curated by Transcrime, report Bulgarian organisations as among the most violent in trafficking human beings across the Balkan states. Paolo Savona, head of the Transcrime project we interviewed for the present project, tells us that Bulgaria is a high risk country for corruption and this could facilitate criminal activities in the country.

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