Two Bulgarian men were arraigned in court on Sunday over alleged plans to commit ATM fraud.

Appearing before Magistrate Audrey Demicoli, Kitanchev Blagoy Zhorov, 34, and Polihnorov Spas Georgiev, 42, pled not guilty to association with persons in or outside Malta with the aim of committing a crime in the country.

The men are understood to have been arrested by Maltese authorities following information received from Europol that the two were travelling to Malta with intent to commit a crime. They are believed to have links to organised criminal groups.

A police raid of an apartment the men were renting in St Julian’s led to the discovery of tools allegedly intended to be used to steal customers’ card details at bank machines. Mr Zhorov was further charged over the possession of these objects.

Legal aid lawyer Francina Abela, appearing for the accused, said the men were arrested an hour before they had planned to leave Malta and that they had had no intention of committing a crime.

Prosecuting officer Inspector Matthew Vella said the accused had cooperated with the police and that the court should consider the minimum punishment stipulated by the law.

No request for bail was made.

 

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