site.btaPolice Seize 145 Kg of Marijuana in Stara Zagora

A total of 145 kilograms of high-quality marijuana have been seized in Stara Zagora following a specialized operation by the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDCOC), Commissioner Emil Borisov, head of GDCOC's Narcotics Department, told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday.

Two individuals have been detained and charged in connection with the case, which dismantled an organized crime group and disrupted a major drug trafficking channel. The operation, which had been in preparation for several months, was conducted between May 4 and 6 by GDCOC officers in Gabrovo, Stara Zagora, and Haskovo.

Borisov said four people have been detained. The two who have been formally charged were apprehended in the Stara Zagora region while travelling in a vehicle containing 145 vacuum-sealed packages of marijuana, each weighing one kilogramme. The operation was carried out under the supervision of the Stara Zagora District Prosecutor's Office. Urgent searches were conducted at several locations, leading to the charges against the two detainees, he added.

Stara Zagora District Prosecutor Dicho Atanasov said that the investigation is still in its early stages. "We are actively collecting evidence, and the initial charges may change," he explained, adding that it remains to be determined whether more individuals were involved in the criminal activity.

A forensic examination has been ordered to determine both the quantity and potency of the seized narcotic substance, Atanasov said and noted that the marijuana has a high active content and is valued at approximately BGN 3 million (EUR 1.5 million).

The two defendants, who have no prior criminal record, have been detained for 72 hours. Prosecutors have requested their pre-trial detention, with the court expected to rule on the measure later on Wednesday.