The Man Killed Near McDonald’s Stamped Because of Drugs
Kostadin Kostadinov is involved in international drug channel
Kostadin Kostadinov – known as “Dinko - the stupid guy” is the man killed near McDonald’s. He is stamped in order to be eliminated from drug business, well informed source closed to the investigation, revealed for “168 hours” weekly. He is under a police suspicion of participating in an international drug channel from several years. It is presumed that he has been involved in a criminal network, transporting drugs for Greece and Spain. For a significant period of his life Kostadin Kostadinov has gravitated to VIS the ex force group. Recently the cops started to connect his name with two people from the closest Polly Pantev’s encirclement – the late drug boss. One of them has organized the theft and the concealing of the notorious 600 kg cocaine, but the other is fighting for stronger positions in the drug business.
A last weekend
A week before his assassination in front of McDonald’s Kostadin Kostadinov welcomes guest in Sandanski - his native town. Among them is the businessman known as the closest adherent to the late Polly Pantev. They are going about the resort town apparently happy and satisfied with the life. The cavalcade of four luxury jeeps belong to the Sofia businessman, sticks out a mile. The police even stop them for identification. The group shows up in prestigious places in town, including the former Todor Jivkov’s residence. They are accompanied by the younger member of Kostadinov’s family – Asparuh Kostadinov – Puhi. After the pleasant weekend Kostadin Kostadinov departs for Sofia where he lives since 2002. This is his last visit in the native Sandanski. He has left three days till the execution. Kostadin Kostadinov’s closest people do not even suppose that his death sentence is already signed …
“In the same day he left the house around 16 p.m. He said he has a meeting with a friend in front of the ex-pharmacy at “Vitosha” boulevard. He behaved normally the last few days – as usual. He has not been worried. If there was something I would know for sure.”, his wife Margarita Golomehova told “168 hours” daily.
As a target
Kostadin Kostadinov is shot dead in the back while going out McDonald’s near National Palace of Culture. At this time the restaurant is full of people. The killer has used a pistol with a noise–killer. Nobody notice that just a step away from the open-air kinder garden a shot man lies. He tries to get to his car – BWM E 2727 and collapses in the ground. He is already dead, but eyewitnesses decide that he does not feel well.
Kostadin Kostadinov is among the most popular businessmen in Blagoevgrad. In many of his firms he is working together with his brother - Asparuh Kostadinov – Puhi. In Sandanski they become famous as the bad boys with affinity to the brushes in disco clubs.
After he becomes a businessman, the two brothers changed entirely their image. They demonstrate sedateness and a style of prosperous men. “It was just a seeming window-dressing”, comments a man who knows them for a long time and adds: ”As a former swimmer Kostadin was tall, robust, physically strong, but has not showed intellect. They called him “Dinko - the stupid guy”. At the same time he has a diploma of a lawyer … He hold firmly everybody to notice that he was the first one in Sandanski who possesses a cellar phone with a colored display.”
Officially by Kostadin Kostadinov’s name there are registered several companies: “Pirinplod”, “Green” and “Kostadin Kostadinov”. His activity though is much wider. His business is connected with bingo-halls, real-estate jobbing, Internet halls and activity with loan-offices. According to policemen who had kept a close watch on him, Kostadinov was a man of a straw, a tool in the hands of a scandalous jurist.
Al Capone’s circle
This way called the lobby in Sandanski, has followed Kostadin
Kostadinov. It is also famous as “the judge’s group”. Members
in it are the former judge Ilia Yanev, a chief architect,
jurists, three present municipal councilors and the Greek drug
dealer Yorgos, which at the present is in jail and has a black
seal to enter Bulgaria. According to an information from the
security services start in Kostadinov’s carrier gives the
former regional judge in Sandanski Ilia Yanev. He was removed
from the Supreme Juridical Council, after the accusations
against him for non regulated contacts with persons from the
criminal world were proved. Among these persons are two brothers from Kostadinovs’ family. The former judge of appeal in Plovdiv Stanko Kidikov, who has participated in the investigation of Ilia Yanev’s activity recounts for “168 hours” weekly: “We went to make the investigation after many warnings from citizens. They have claimed that the judge Yanev makes business with many people most of them with no so stainless dossiers. We interrogated over 25 people in Sandanski and the region. This way we found the permanent circle of Yanev’s friends – not more than 6-7 people. Namely among these people were Kostadinovs’ brothers. These 6-7 people in this small community
have been registered 12 trade associations
with a total declared capital of more than half of billion old Bulgarian levas. Yanev’s mother also is included in two of the associations. Kostadinovis’ were listed as her partners regardless the fact that at this time she is over 70 years old.
During the investigation was revealed that for an year
period Ilia Yanev had traveled more than 20 times to Greece –
Feres and Thessalonike. He has been often accompanied by
Kostadinovis’ brothers. They admitted the same during the
Interrogations held.
The main activity of these 12 associations was to participate
in the privatization in the former Blagoevgrad region. It turned out that they were privatized half of the all state owned property – the entire system of book distribution, canned goods, factories, work shops, hotels. There was a serious battle between parallel structures about who to climb down in some privatization deals. As far as to the connection between Yanev and Kostadinovs’, the brothers have said they have ordinary relations – just friends from a small borough. But nobody believed that. How Yanev has helped? He has influenced in different type of doings, including evident intervention in legal actions. Furthermore testimonials had been made that he had kept big amounts of money, which had been used in the deals – approximately thousands and thousands of dollars.”
Over 250 pages with materials related to Yanev’s case had been transferred to the Supreme Juridical Council. The group is active by the end of 1999.
Bargains
More than 40 people are out of pocket. They are paying for a private property but actually they are receiving state property. All of a sudden they are founding themselves with empty hands. One of the scandalous examples is the case describing how 6 parcels located in the most expensive part of Sandanski’s town park become property of Nadejda Mancheva, Kostadinovs’ brothers relative. The lady is old and she even
does not know about the deal. With Yanev’s assistance who is the regional judge the above mentioned properties were resold to local businessmen. One of the terrains is a property of the ex wood fund in town. This way the buyers of the priceless possessions were deceived and provoked endless lawsuits.”, says person close to the investigation.
Among the deceived is also S. Banicharski, former director of “Kinefikatzia - Blagoevgrad”. Together with Kostadin Kostadinov they promptly register “Ltd.”, who bosses with the assets of the former state enterprise. In order to participate with its own share in the business Banicharski sells his apartment. “Kostadinov bought the cinema and told him “goodbye”. Banicharski awake up with zero shares in the association. At the present the poor guy leaves in a lodging and still laments his naiveté.”, shares close to the deceived director.
The judge’s group reserves also the biggest transport enterprise in the region according the same scheme. They establish the connection through Labor Manager Association and mislead Metodi Galabov. He is famous with his nicknames “The wig” and “The wig” ex owner of “Alen Mak” hotel and “Pirin” soccer team.
“The jurists” bolted also the local company for meat processing “Rodopa”, the consumers’ cooperation, the mill for building materials “Presevna”, a factory for mineral water in Levunovo village and greenhouses. Kostadin Kostadinov was
a swindler with a wet eyes and a warm tongue,
This way describes him a specialist from Ministry of Internal Affairs, who knows a lot about the investigation. – He has a gift to predispose people and they do not even understand how fast drop into his pitfall.”
The judge’s group makes also enemies. The deceived ones establish a Protest Committee and start make subscription list after subscription list. The goal is to be stoped Kostadinovis’ brothers and Yanev. After judge’s crash “Dinko - the stupid guy” finds a new patron – the late VIS member Dimitar Dimitrov – “The Monkey guy”, who was blow up in Sofia. He helps him to become an owner of the luxury discothèque “Aphrodite”. In return “The Monkey guy” promises him security and protection. “Thus Kostadin Kostadinov and “The Monkey guy” jointed their efforts in the drug traffic and maintaining a drug channel for Greece.”, top official from the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced. Meanwhile Kostadinov has imported luxury cars from Spain. Part of them stolen, later was found out. There and then we suspected that along with the limousines Kostadinov was dealing also with drugs for Spain. He was very close to K.M. from Belagoevgrad, who secured the theft, the concealment and the marketing of the notorious 600 kilos cocaine”.
After “The Monkey guy” was killed “Dinko - the stupid guy” secretly put in touch with friends of the diseased Poli Pantev. Since then up to his death he keeps in close touch with them. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs Kostadinov is also close to the Greek drug dealer Yorgos, who is in jail now. For a six month period Kostadinov has visited Greece more than 40 times. He dropped by in Greece till the last moment. There are some data about his contacts with local drug dealers.
The most prevailing version so far is that he was killed because of drugs.
“We suspect that during the last years Kostadinov had made a lot of money in cash.”, well informed policeman says and specifies: - He managed to jump over the borders of the businessman of a south-west type and to become a citizen of the capital. He possesses an office and an apartment in “Zona B 5” quarter and a shop for luxury underwear at “Stamboliyski” Blv. He also has built a hotel in Dragalevzti quarter.
Political mimicry
The judge’s group does not exist any more. Ilia Yanev is disgraced and deprived of his right to practice as a judge. Now he is lost in oblivion or at least that is the role he presently plays. Part of the clique registers party called “Roma Drum”. During the last local election three of party’s representatives become municipal councilors. Yanev’s inspiration at the moment is the municipal councilor and chairman of the Transport Commission in Sandanski. Anton Dimitrov also entered the local parliament. He is a member of the brotherhood as well. There are such rumors in town and some people imply that he is close to some of the bargains with the expensive real estates. The deceived ones are keeping searching for their rights in the court for a serial year… So far Kostadin Kostadinov is the only punished …
Nadia Cholakova
Maria Nikolaeva