site.btaUPDATED Communication Devices Consistent with Those Detonated in Lebanon and Syria Have Not Been Imported, Exported or Manufactured in Bulgaria - Security Agency

As a result of checks conducted by the State Agency for National Security (SANS) jointly with the Interior Ministry and the National Customs Agency, it has been established incontrovertibly that communication devices consistent with those detonated in Lebanon and Syria on September 17, 2024 have not been imported, exported or manufactured in Bulgaria, SANS said in a press release on Friday.

The State Agency's statement was prompted by a report of the Hungarian news site Telex that the sale to Hezbollah of pagers, which have so far killed 37 people and have wounded about 3,000 in Lebanon and Syria, was facilitated by Sofia-based Norta Global Ltd.

It has been established that the Norta Global EOOD company, referred to in the media reports, or its owner have not effected any transactions under Bulgaria's jurisdiction having the purchase and sale of goods as subject-matter. "The checks have yielded data showing that Norta Global EOOD has not been carrying out any financial operations coming under the Measures against Terrorist Financing Act and has not been maintaining trade relationships with any natural and legal persons subject to the implementation of restrictive measures under sanction regimes of the UN Security Council and the EU Council," the State Agency said.

In a statement released on Thursday, SANS said that shipments of communication equipment (pagers) had not cleared Bulgarian customs for transit through this country and that the foreign companies mentioned by Telex had not been part of any Bulgarian customs procedures.