A joint operation by Bulgaria’s National Customs Agency and the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime has led to the discovery of 233 kilograms of marijuana. The drugs were hidden in 200 vacuum-sealed packages inside a truck traveling from Spain through Italy and Greece to Bulgaria.
The bust took place at the Kulata Border Crossing Point (BCP) on November 2, 2024, around 1:00 AM. Customs officers from the “Drug Enforcement” department and police from the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime stopped the truck for inspection. During the search, officials found a hidden compartment with a mechanical opening in the front wall of the trailer.
Inside the compartment, authorities discovered the marijuana. The total weight of the drugs amounted to 233.14 kilograms.
The driver of the truck, 37-year-old V.M., was arrested on suspicion of smuggling narcotics. A pre-trial investigation is now underway, led by the Blagoevgrad District Prosecutor’s Office. V.M. faces charges under Article 242, Paragraph 2 of Bulgaria’s Criminal Code, related to drug smuggling.
The driver has been detained for up to 72 hours, and the prosecutor has requested a court hearing to determine whether he should be kept in custody due to the seriousness of the crime and the risk of flight.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities continue to gather evidence. The cooperation between customs and anti-organized crime units has been praised for preventing this major drug smuggling attempt.
