(ANSA) - SOFIA - Bulgaria's State Agency for National Security (Dans) has conducted a maxi operation at Kapitan Andreevo crossing, on the border with Turkey and 33 Bulgarian customs officers have been arrested, including the 'boss' of the night shift. Interrogations of corrupt customs officers were carried out today. These officers asked car and truck drivers to pay an ''inspection fee'' known as ''No worry, go ahead'', to let them cross the border without checking their vehicles.

The car drivers were forced to pay between 5 and 20 euros, whereas the truck drivers were asked to pay up to 300 euros. The Dans has monitored the criminal group for six months, recording facts and circumstances, in order to carry out the arrests. While searching the homes of those who have been arrested, hundreds of thousands of euros have been seized.

Following the raid, the border crossing remained closed for several hours. The row of trucks waiting at the border was more than 12km long in both directions (Bulgaria - Turkey - Bulgaria). (ANSA).