A crime ring drained money from a European financing program by using forged documents for importing food, wine and tobacco industry machinery.

A crime ring, draining money from the European financing program Special Accession Programme for Agriculture & Rural Development (SAPARD) was broken in a joint raid of Bulgaria's department for combating the organized crime, Swiss and German police.
Seven Bulgarians, two Swiss and two Germans were taking part in the criminal organization with several famous people among them, the chief of the anti-crime combat department announced. For two years they have drained € 7.5 million using forged documents for importing food, wine and tobacco industries machinery.
Four of the Bulgarian criminals are arrested and accusations will be brought against the other three. The raid in Bulgaria took place in Sofia and the towns of Shumen and Yambol. (pi)