1,092 persons were arrested for production, processing, acquisition, possession and distribution of narcotic drugs in the period 1-31 May 2024, which is 217 more than in the transition month of April. This was shown by an analysis of the Specialized Interagency Unit between the Ministry of the Interior and the Prosecutor’s Office to support the investigation of this type of crime. A double increase was recorded in the number of laboratories/areas for the production and cultivation of narcotic substances detected – in May 2024 they were 16 compared to 8 in April this year.
Among the more typical cases are the discovery of 24 packages of heroin worth BGN 1,028,160 in a passenger car on 26/05/2024 at the Kapitan Andreevo checkpoint, and the discovery on 22/05/2024 of two drug greenhouses with 2,700 cannabis plants on the territory of Sofia.
An increase is also observed in the initiated pre-trial proceedings related to narcotic substances and illegal migration. In May 2024, drug cases were 942 compared to 771 in April this year, and those for illegal transfer across the country’s border and illegal assistance of foreign nationals to reside or cross in violation of the law were 200 compared to 153 in the previous month.
As a result of the joint work of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor’s Office, 580 specialized police operations were carried out in the period 1-31 May to combat illegal migration / out of 505 for April 2024/, and to combat drug-related crimes – 564 / out of 462 for April of this year/.
A total of 224 illegally staying third-country nationals have been detained for crimes related to illegal migration. Most of them are on the territory of the Sofia Directorate of the Interior – 108 persons, followed by the Regional Directorate of the Interior – Burgas – 36 and the Regional Directorate of the Interior – Haskovo – 22.
The Specialized Interagency Unit was created by a joint order between the Ministry of the Interior and the Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Bulgaria in August 2023 in order to support the investigation of specific types of crimes. One of its main activities is monitoring the initiated and conducted pre-trial proceedings.
The SAA took urgent measures to support the families affected by the storm and heavy rains
[…] An increase in pre-trial proceedings for drugs and illegal migration is reported in May 2024 […]