Bulgarian law enforcement authorities at the country's Kapitan Andreevo checkpoint near the border with Turkiye have seized 205.94 kg of cocaine hidden in a diplomatic car, officials said on Sunday, reported Xinhua.
This was the largest amount of cocaine seized at Bulgaria's land borders, the National Customs Agency (NCA) said in a press release.
The Land Rover with diplomatic license plates, driven by a 43-year-old Bulgarian citizen, arrived at the checkpoint on Friday.
Two other passengers were traveling in the car from Belgium via Bulgaria to Turkiye, — a 40-year-old man, citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo with diplomatic status, and a 54-year-old woman with Belgian citizenship, born in the Republic of Congo, the NCA said.
The vehicle underwent a thorough inspection involving a drug-sniffing dog, who pointed to four suitcases in the trunk and one in the back seat behind the driver.
The suitcases were scanned with mobile X-ray equipment, which noted unusual densities. After opening, it was discovered that instead of personal luggage, they contained a total of 179 packages of cocaine with a total gross weight of 205.940 kg.
The illicit substance had an estimated court value of 22.1 million U.S. dollars, the NCA said.
The driver and his two companions were arrested. An investigation is underway.
- Bulgaria
- Cocaine
- Diplomatic car
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
