Unique in its scale police operation against illegal betting
Updated on: 16.05.2009, 11:45
Published on: 16.05.2009, 11:40
Over 120 policemen have taken part in a unique in its scale operation against the bookmakers of the “black totalizer” and the illegal bets in Internet.
Five prosecutors from Sofia city prosecutor’s office and the Supreme cassation prosecutor’s office have participated in the operation, informed news.bg.
The investigation which continued for more than half a year has found out 30 people in Sofia, Gotse Delchev and Lovech, who were “laundering” 2.5 million euro in “black totalizer” and have invested the profits in other criminal activity. Some of them are close to the football clubs.
Information for an organized criminal group, dealing with “black totalizer” is submitted to the ministry of internal affairs in November 2008. The group determines coefficients, payments of profits over the results from the football games and sport competitions using foreign bookmaker sites in Internet.
The group collected huge sums for bets from Bulgarian citizens, dealt with racketeering and collection of debts from the irregular payers, and the funds were invested in other criminal activity.
Its members were taking forcefully properties and real estate from the debtors.
The organizers of the illegal bets apart from the gathered profits from illegal activity, have received percents from the foreign bookmakers under partnership programs but the money was not declared.
During the police operation 28 arrests were conducted in Sofia and the country. Money, computers, usbs, mobile phones, a Mercedes, bank and company contracts, gold and jewelry, loan contracts, cocaine and others were confiscated from the band.