site.btaTwo Detained after Allegedly Smuggling 18 Illegal Migrants into Bulgaria

The Plovdiv Regional Court has launched pre-trial proceedings against two Bulgarian nationals for helping foreigners to enter the country illegally, the prosecution service reported on Wednesday. The two were detained late Tuesday around 9 p.m. in a cargo van on the Sofia - Burgas road after refusing to stop despite being signalled to do so by a police patrol.

The driver of the van initially reduced speed, then increased it, allegedly trying to avoid the check. A pursuit began, during which the van hit one of the two police cars involved in the pursuit.

The van stopped after about 2 km. The police found 18 Syrian nationals in it, 11 of whom were under the age of 18.

One of the detained Bulgarians has already been convicted 25 times, the prosecution service said.