Border police in Ruse have detained 16 Iraqi nationals who were discovered hidden inside a refrigerated truck, the Ministry of the Interior reported. The vehicle, registered in Latvia and driven by a 30-year-old citizen of Belarus, was stopped late last night at the entrance to the city. The migrants, who lacked proper documentation, told authorities that they were en route to Germany. Both the driver and the migrants have been taken into custody while the investigation continues.

Earlier the same day, around 2:00 p.m., another group of 12 undocumented migrants was apprehended near the village of Filipovo in the municipality of Topolovgrad. They were caught by a border patrol team from Svilengrad. These individuals were also taken in for further processing, and law enforcement authorities are continuing to work on both incidents.

In response to the growing issue of illegal migration via concealed transport, the Ministry of the Interior, in collaboration with the British Embassy in Bulgaria, has launched a campaign aimed at raising public awareness. As part of this initiative, over 100 billboards will be installed throughout the country. These signs, displayed in multiple languages, will warn about the dangers of transporting migrants hidden in heavy goods vehicles.

Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov, Director of the Border Police, emphasized that the campaign is designed to make drivers and the general public more alert to possible attempts to use commercial vehicles for migrant smuggling. Authorities hope the visible warnings will act as a deterrent and help prevent future incidents involving migrants hiding in trucks.