Georgi Piskyulev remains permanently in custody – this is what the Court of Appeal in Burgas decided, not granting the request to change his measure to a lighter one – “House arrest”.
During the hearing, prosecutor Valentina Madjarova presented a new DNA examination and with that the court announced that it had finished collecting evidence. She stated:
“I find the private complaint against the District Court-Burgas thus revised procedurally admissible, but not well-founded. A reasonable inference of guilt can be drawn from the evidence gathered and the DNA examination presented today. I consider that the basic statutory prerequisite for this measure is present. It is present with respect to both charges, that of possession with intent to distribute and that of planting and cultivating high-risk drugs.”
According to the state prosecution, there is a danger that Piskyulev will abscond because he is neither employed nor family-oriented.
However, the defendant’s defence took a different view. Lawyer Galina Koleva said that a measure of „house arrest“ was more appropriate and insisted that the first-instance arrest be revoked. For his part, Georgi Piskyulev said:
“I confirm what lawyer Koleva said. I have no intention of absconding or committing other crimes. I will cooperate with the investigation. I request a lighter measure of house arrest.”
After a 20-minute adjournment, the Court of Appeal in Burgas decided that despite the defendant’s clean criminal record, he should remain permanently in custody.
It should be recalled that last week the District Prosecutor’s Office-Burgas detained Piskyulev for up to 72 hours. He is accused of production and possession with intent to distribute high-risk narcotic substances – nearly 400 hemp plants and over 4 kilograms of dry grass – cannabis. The offences were committed over the period from an unspecified date to 9 January in St Valls. They are qualified under articles 354a and 354c of the Criminal Code.
Details of the investigation were provided on 10 January by the supervising prosecutor Angel Georgiev and Commissioner Ivan Malinov – Head of the Criminal Police Department at the Regional Police Directorate of the Burgas Police. According to them, the narcotic substances were found in three specially adapted premises located in two adjacent buildings in the villa area of Sveti Vlas.
The drug greenhouse is the largest indoor one found on the territory of the Burgas region in the last 10 years. The premises are equipped with high-tech heaters, irrigation systems, fans and humidifiers and fertilizers. The greenhouse has been monitored by forensic officers over a period of 6 months. Initial reports indicate that the narcotics produced were destined for export. At forensic prices, the marijuana found was worth over 1 million leva.
