A special operation in Bulgaria's capital Sofia resulted in the detention of 130 people, most of whom illegally crossed into Bulgaria, the Interior Ministry's Chief Secretary has said.
Several people were released after the Wednesday evening operation after it was confirmed they had been granted refugee status, Georgi Kostov told private national bTV station in a Thursday interview.
A total of 125 have illegally crossed into Bulgaria without submitting an asylum request and will be sent to the Interior Ministry's accommodation centers until the nature of their migration has been established.
Police acted jointly with the State Agency for National Security (DANS), Bulgaria's counter-intelligence body, Kostov added.
Earlier reports suggested more than 130 people who failed to provide identity documents during the operation were arrested in downtown Sofia known for being home to a number of migrants some of whom have already been granted status.
Kostov said it was early to tell if the 125 detained had been smuggled into Bulgaria.
But he added more than 200 Bulgarian citizens had been indicted since January for smuggling activities.