Police Operation in Sofia related to Election Fraud: 27 Detained, 7 Cases Opened

Bulgarian authorities have initiated 7 pre-trial proceedings for violations of citizens' political rights ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections on June 9, as reported by Ivaylo Velichkov, head of the 3rd Regional Police Department in Sofia. These criminal acts were uncovered during a specialized operation targeting crime.

The prevalent scheme detected during the operation involves vote-buying, often through promises of debt forgiveness from gambling or commercial establishments. Additionally, the operation led to the identification of other criminal activities.

In the "Moderno Predgradie" district of the capital, individuals using forged documents were apprehended, resulting in the arrest of 11 individuals who were subsequently placed on a nationwide wanted list. Furthermore, two minors involved in armed robbery were also detained.

The operation revealed an unregulated gambling facility in the "Fakulteta" district, where 11 gaming machines were seized, and 11 individuals involved in their operation were arrested. Among those detained, one individual was identified as the organizer of the illegal gambling activities.