Bulgarian authorities have dismantled an organized criminal group engaged in the possession, concealment, and international trafficking of drugs, following a large-scale operation coordinated by the National Anti-Terrorism Service and the Directorate for the Prevention of Drug Trafficking in Plovdiv.
Six men, including the alleged leader, have been taken into custody and charged with drug trafficking offenses. Four of the suspects remain in pre-trial detention, while one has been released on bail set at 3,000 leva (€1,500).
The sixth suspect, arrested in Sofia on Wednesday, will have his detention measure reviewed by the Plovdiv District Court tomorrow. The operation, which took place in Plovdiv, Sofia, and Burgas, resulted in the seizure of approximately 90 kilograms of marijuana.
Ten kilograms were found inside the vehicle of the man arrested in the capital. Authorities confirmed that the group had been active for about a year and a half, operating across Bulgaria and using sophisticated methods to conceal narcotics.
According to investigators, the probe began after the regional directorate of the State Agency for National Security (SANS) received a tip-off, which was then shared with the prosecutor’s office.
The group’s leader, who owns a commercial company dealing in real estate and vehicles, is believed to have supplied mainly cocaine and marijuana.
Other members handled drug transportation, often employing international drivers who hid the substances in specially constructed compartments.
The coordinated arrests began last Saturday, with teams from the Directorate of the Anti-Corruption Agency (DABA) joining the effort. Deputy Director Emil Borisov revealed that ten individuals were initially detained for 24 hours during the operation, although some were later released after questioning.
The detained suspects range in age from 26 to 62 and include two men from Plovdiv — the alleged leader and another participant — while the remaining four are from Sofia. All of the accused are known to law enforcement and have prior records related to heroin trafficking.
“This is a significant breakthrough in our ongoing battle against organized drug crime in Bulgaria,” Borisov stated. “We have removed a dangerous network that was supplying large amounts of narcotics both domestically and internationally.”
Authorities are now working to trace the full extent of the group’s operations, including possible connections with foreign drug networks. Investigators are also examining financial records to determine whether the proceeds from drug trafficking were laundered through legitimate businesses owned by the suspects.
The seizure is one of the largest in the Plovdiv region in recent years and underscores the cooperation between multiple Bulgarian law enforcement agencies in tackling organized crime.
Officials have vowed to continue their efforts to dismantle similar networks, citing the ongoing threat posed by organized drug trafficking to public safety and national security.
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