site.btaProsecution Service Reports Increase of Pre-trial Proceedings, Arrests for Drugs, Illegal Migration in First Quarter of 2024

More pre-trial proceedings have been instituted and more persons have been detained in connection with narcotic drugs producing, processing, acquiring, holding and distributing since the beginning of 2024, the prosecution service said on Wednesday. It cited figures released by a specialized inter-departmental unit between the prosecution service and the Interior Ministry for facilitating the investigation under pre-trial proceedings related to narcotics and illegal migration.

A total of 1,020 arrests were made between March 1 and 31, 2024, up from 970 in February and 693 in January. The number of pre-trial proceedings instituted increased from 589 in January 2024 to 803 in February and 877 in March.

As a result of the joint operation of the two institutions, 515 specialized police operations were carried out in March 2024 to counter illegal migration and 549 operations to counter drug-related offences.

During the past month, law-enforcers detected 12 drug-producing labs and/or narcotic plantations. In the Plovdiv Appellate Region alone, checks and searches in three locations resulted in the seizure of a total of 143.2 kg of marijuana, compared to 251.8 kg countrywide. Thirty-two kilogrammes of amphetamine and methamphetamine were detected and seized during a specialized operation in Burgas (on the Black Sea).

A total of 137 pre-trial proceedings were instituted between March 1 and 31, 2024 in connection with illegal border crossings, up from 93 in February. Of the 108 individuals detained, the largest number (71) were apprehended in Sofia. On March 29, during a specialized police operation at the accommodation centres of the State Agency for Refugees in Ovcha Kupel, Voenna Rampa and Vrazhdebna quarters, checks were conducted for prohibited articles, narcotic drugs and presence of persons on a national wanted list, undocumented or unlawfully resident in the centres. A total of 680 foreign nationals were checked, and six were detained to establish implication in criminal acts. 

A total of 329 court instruments in connection with drug-related offences and 138 court instruments in connection with cross-border human trafficking became enforceable between January 1 and 31, 2024.