[size=150:37qf1gx2]Bulgaria arrests 17 traffic police for corruption, organised crime
Sofia Echo

Seventeen Bulgarian traffic police were arrested in a special operation on September 27 2011, and are to face charges of corruption and of operating as an organised crime group.

The arrests followed several months of investigations and of gathering of evidence.

The operation, codenamed "
Sticks 2"
was led by the Sofia City Prosecutor's office, assisted by police units.

Bulgarian National Television said that the investigations began after a number of motorists, including foreigners, filed complaints against traffic police officers.

Some of the traffic police had been filmed in the act of accepting bribes, according to the report.

Sofia City Prosecutor Nikolai Kokinov said that investigators had established that after traffic police ended their shift, they gathered what they had received in bribes and divided up the money.

In some cases, traffic police had taken up to 500 leva (about 250 euro) a shift. Kokinov said that there had been "
bribes of small amounts, but often"
.

One of those arrested was taken into custody while on duty at the main exit from Sofia at the start of the motorway to Plovdiv.

Willowsend writes.
You try to build up an understanding and accept the law of the country , and then you read stories like the above, it is
Will they ever learn

At least something was done. People were listened too. Good to hear they were caught and will be dealt with. Greed has lost them a good job.

I hope the Chief Prosecutor in VT is investigating our Court case and why it has taken so long to reach him. After a visit with our lawyer two days ago we were told that we would hear that the case would be awaiting a court date by yesterday. Guess what? No surprises - Nishto and no reply to an email to our lawyer as to why we haven't heard yet again. We have been waiting since May 14th! Of course we don't think anything suspicious is going on do we???? [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

[size=55:2432hp6n]novinite

Bulgarian Court Sets Free 17 Traffic Cops Indicted for Bribes

The Sofia City Court has released from arrest all seventeen employees of Bulgaria's Interior Ministry who were detained Tuesday during a special operation codenamed "
The Clubs 2."


The 17 traffic cops were arrested on charges they have been asking bribes from drivers.

According to the Prosecutor, the policemen were a member of an organized crime group, a claim rejected by the Court.

Judge, Miroslava Todorova, said she could not understand why all have been indicted together when no evidence they acted in a group had been presented.

The main motive of Prosecutor, Kaloyan Angelov, to ask for permanent detention of the defendants was the fact they represent law enforcement in the country, but have committed impudent crimes, which was also rejected by the Judge, who pointed out the latter is not included in requirements set by the law and cannot be deemed a public threat.

Two of the 17 were set free over lack of evidence for one of them, and immunity for the other since he is running for office as mayor of Novi Han;
5 were released on own recognizance, and 10 – on bail of between BGN 1 000 and 5 000.

The Prosecutor presented evidence the bribes asked for by the defendants ranged between BGN 6 and EUR 50.

The rule can be appealed with the Sofia Appellate Court.

Looks like they gave their bribes to the Judge .