site.bta25 Rigid Inflatable Boats Seized at Kapitan Andreevo Customs Checkpoint

Twenty-five inflatable boats with rigid sides were seized by customs officers at the Kapitan Andreevo customs checkpoint during an inspection of a truck entering the country from Turkiye, the Customs Agency said on Tuesday.

The driver, a Turkish citizen, presented customs officers with documents for groupage goods transported from Turkiye to Slovakia and France. The boats were seized. The driver was charged under the Customs Act for attempting to transport goods across the state border without the knowledge and permission of the customs authorities.

In cooperation with British institutions, the Customs Agency continues efforts to stop the trafficking of so-called “small boats” through Bulgaria. Such vessels are used for the illegal transport of migrants from the European Union to the United Kingdom across the English Channel.