SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Police in Bulgaria says they have busted a suspected terrorism financing ring and detained 43 people in raids across the country.

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Ivan Geshev told reporters on Friday that one of the suspects was a Syrian citizen permanently residing in Bulgaria who allegedly transferred money to people abroad linked to international extremist groups.

Geshev said "the main suspect has been in touch and has financed people who provide logistics to international terrorist groups."

He didn't name the groups or the countries where they allegedly operate, but explained that the money has been sent through a "hawala," where individual fund transfers are used instead of regular bank operations.

Geshev said that the ring bust follows a year-long investigation in several European Union member states.