Almost BGN 2 M have been collected from the sale of 80 kg jewelry during the first auctions for gold, platinum and silver items in Sofia, Plovdiv and Burgas, the Bulgarian National Revenue Agency has announced.

Participants in the bids have been mostly manufacturers and traders with items made out of precious metals. The jewelries have been seized after a smuggling attempt in Bulgaria, the agency said.

The tax agents will offer at auction about 90 kg jewelry more. They expect that some BGN 5 M would enter the state treasury by the end of the year.

Participation in the tenders is stated by paying a deposit, which amounts to 20% of the original selling price of the jewelry group, for which the buyer intends to bid.

In buyers are planning to bid on several jewelry groups, they must designate a separate price for each of them, the agency said.