Organized crime

 Police on Friday announced the dismantling of a criminal organization whose members systematically committed thefts, posing as employees of the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator (DEDDIE) or technicians/maintenance men of elevators, targeting mainly elderly people in their homes in areas of Attica. 

A "notorious money launderer" who cleaned "the dirty money of the world's foremost criminals" was arrested late last month in Athens, Europol, the EU police agency, has announced.

The arrest, on 31 May, followed a long investigation by Dutch police into the activities of the underground banker, who operated in the Netherlands.

Bulgaria will help Rishi Sunak to stop illegal immigration - under this headline, the newspaper "Times" informs about a new cooperation being prepared between London and Sofia to combat with human traffickers.

Europol has supported the Romanian Border Police (Poliția Română de Frontera) in dismantling an organized crime group involved in migrant smuggling. The Bulgarian General Directorate Combating Organised Crime (Главна Дирекция Организирана Престъпност) and the German Federal Police in Waidhaus (Bundespolizeiinspektion Waidhaus) were also involved in the operation.

Without debate, with 19 votes "for", without a single "against" and "abstentions", the Legal Committee of the Parliament approved in the second reading the amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code, introducing a mechanism of control over the Prosecutor General.

When the authorities are willing, the laws are enforced. This was clearly seen in the case of the popular holiday island of Mykonos. 

The state has the necessary tools and power to fight against lawlessness. What was missing? Obviously the political will to do so, at all levels, and government officials who are not tempted by easy money and are not afraid.

The daily strikes of organized crime networks are signs of a brazenness that can only be attributed to a sense of impunity on the part of these gangs.

The organized state is not allowed to continue to remain idle. It is also not acceptable that enforcement of the law and other core functions of the state should be suspended during the pre-election period

Police have launched a crackdown on an organized crime group involved in human trafficking and document forgery across various regions in Greece.

So far, the operation involving approximately 200 police officers in Athens, Thessaloniki, and Ilia in the Peloponnese has led to the arrest of 36 suspects.

A police operation began this morning in Kazanlak. The news was reported by the Bulgarian National Television.

The operation is against usury and the distribution of drugs. Persons with criminal record are checked.

On the photo: Zlatko Baretata

Montenegrin police director assistant Dejan Knezevic in his office in Podgorica. Photo: Government of Montenegro

Knezevic was arrested as part of a large-scale investigation of police links with the notorious Kavac drug gang, which has led to 12 current and ex-police officers' arrests and to national warrants for the arrest of three others.