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170 kilograms of cocaine were found concealed within a shipment of bananas at the Burgas city's port. The illicit cargo, valued at approximately $6.8 million, marks one of the largest drug seizures in the history of the Burgas Port Complex, BTA reported. No arrests have been made thus far, leaving authorities to grapple with the intricacies of an ongoing investigation.
The revelation came during an extraordinary briefing led by district prosecutor Georgi Chinev, accompanied by key figures including Petya Bankova, Director of the Customs Agency, and Stefan Bakalov, Head of the Agency's "Combating Drug Trafficking" Department. Also present were Elka Dobrikova, a supervising prosecutor from the District Prosecutor's Office-Burgas, and Sr. Commissioner Lachezar Momchev, Director of the Regional Directorate "Border Police" Burgas.
According to Bankova, the discovery represents the largest drug bust in the history of the Burgas Port Complex. The contraband, meticulously concealed within a container loaded with bananas, consisted of over 169 kilograms of cocaine divided into 150 packages. These packages were hidden behind a factory-made wall within the container. The importer of the fruits is a Bulgarian trading company.
The container in question was part of a larger shipment originating from the port of Ecuador, transported by the container ship "Madison II". Its journey took it through various ports before reaching Burgas, where the illicit cargo was uncovered.
Stefan Bakalov detailed the meticulous efforts of law enforcement, revealing that the discovery was made after officers from the Anti-Narcotics Department selected several containers for inspection. Suspicious areas were noted within three containers transporting bananas, leading to a comprehensive inspection that ultimately exposed the hidden cocaine packages.
The Burgas District Prosecutor's Office swiftly initiated pre-trial proceedings under Article 242, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code, signaling the gravity of the situation. A search and seizure operation ensued, accompanied by an examination of the accident scene and a host of procedural and investigative measures.
Prosecutor Chinev emphasized the importance of unraveling the evidence trail, shedding light on the intended destination of the illicit cargo. The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities committed to bringing those responsible to justice.
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