Customs officials in Bulgaria found themselves in the middle of another corruption scandal last week.

The director of the Customs Agency, Emil Dimitrov, told reporters on Monday that he was replacing all customs teams working in Rousse, with inspectors from all over the country, and that he would dismiss the head of the regional customs directorate, Ivailo Popov. Dimitrov confirmed reports that money has been collected in Rousse for bribes to a high-ranking official in Sofia.

There was a joint operation of the Interior Ministry and the Customs Agency carried out Friday night in Rousse. The raid was prompted by a signal submitted to Dimitrov about the corruption case. During the raid, Dimitrov confiscated the official stamps of four customs officers.

Dimitrov refused to name the persons who collected the money in Rousse or the high-ranking official in Sofia. He only said that last Friday's operation foiled the transfer of the money. Dimitrov did not reveal how many customs inspectors will be fired.

The Customs Agency opened a 24-hour hotline on Monday through which people and institutions can report violations in the customs system, the agency's press office announced.

Last Friday, Finance Minister Milen Velchev visited the Kulata customs bureau at the border with Greece. Although claimed routine, this trip became a source of allegations by the media that Velchev was dissatisfied with border controls and went to see the procedure there for himself.

24 Chassa reported that Dimitrov became angry with Velchev for personally checking the state of border controls.