site.btaIllegal Pharmaceutical Plant Uncovered in Sofia

An illegal facility with millions of blisters and vials, likely containing anabolic substances, has been uncovered in Sofia, Sofia Directorate of the Interior Director Lyubomir Nikolov told the media Monday. He held a news conference after the Interior Ministry said in a press release that the Economic Police had seized shipments of pharmaceuticals of unknown origin, ready for dispatch to the European Union.

The operation was carried out on March 6 following a tip-off on upcoming shipments of pharmaceuticals of unclear origin abroad. During the police operation, officers seized parcels ready to be sent via a Bulgarian courier service. A total of 41 boxes containing blister packs with anabolic steroid ampoules, intended for the Netherlands, were confiscated. On February 27, the Sofia police prevented the dispatch of several parcels containing over 100 boxes of anabolic steroids, growth hormones, and peptides intended for Italy, Germany, Belgium, and the Czech Republic, the Interior Ministry said in the press release.

According to Chief Commissioner Nikolov, the products were being manufactured, tableted, and packaged in the building for distribution through online websites. The brands of the products are not registered on the market. Expert examinations have been ordered to determine the active substances used.

One person was detained in connection with the case. He claims to be responsible for the entire operation and is the tenant of the premises, Nikolov said. The detainee was registered four years ago for a similar offense, and the Bulgarian Drug Agency had imposed fines totaling about 25,000 leva, which had not yet been paid. 

Rosen Vasilev, Director of the Sofia office of the Customs Agency, said the case began on March 6, when a shipment was selected for inspection at a courier company and the company found in it empty vials. An alert was then sent to the Sofia police to look into the case.