site.btaBorder Police Detain Eight Migrants in the Sofia District of Ovcha Kupel

Border police officers conducted a special operation in the Sofia district of Ovcha Kupel, the border police announced on Wednesday. In an apartment in the district, they located and detained seven illegal migrants — men without identity documents, reportedly from Morocco — and one Iraqi, who is an asylum seeker in Bulgaria. 

Along with them, a 22-year-old Syrian with humanitarian status in Bulgaria was also detained, who is believed to be involved in the illegal stay of the Moroccans. According to available information, the Syrian was responsible for overseeing the presence of the Moroccan citizens at the address, providing them with shelter, food, and money. The Iraqi man submitted an application for refugee status to the State Agency for Refugees in Bulgaria on 30 July 2025 and was detained by border police on 3 August while attempting to leave the country via the Vidin–Calafat bridge.

The Sofia District Prosecutor’s Office has been notified. A pre-trial investigation has been opened. The 22-year-old Syrian has been charged and detained for 72 hours. The investigation is ongoing, the statement says.