Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Cocaine worth over 400 thousand leva seized near Simitli

Photo: Facebook/gdbop.bg

A specialized police operation by the Directorate of the Bulgarian Anti-Drug and Drug Enforcement Administration (GDBOP) uncovered an organized crime group operating in the Blagoevgrad region, related to the distribution of narcotics. 

5 kg of cocaine worth over 400 thousand leva were seized, 7 people were charged, 5 of them were detained for 72 hours, BGNES reported. 

One of the detainees is Ognyan Atanasov, called by journalists "the Bulgarian Escobar". In 2019, Atanasov received a 15-year sentence from the Court of Appeal in Thessaloniki for importing, trafficking and selling drugs in Greece. He was transferred to serve his sentence in Bulgaria. At the end of 2022, he was pardoned and released from prison, BNT reports.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Delyan Peevski

''DPS – New Beginning'' urges that local taxes remain unchanged in 2026

“I call on all representatives of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms in local government — mayors and municipal councilors — to ensure security and predictability for the people and to take the necessary steps to keep all local taxes and fees..

published on 11/25/25 10:02 AM

Bulgaria rises in global digital quality of life ranking

Bulgaria has climbed to 11th place in this year’s Digital Quality of Life 2025 (DQL) index published by Surfshark, up from 18th last year, BTA reported. The index evaluates countries’ digital well-being across five dimensions: fixed broadband..

published on 11/25/25 9:45 AM
Todor Chobanov

Bulgaria expects the return of over 2,700 antiques from abroad

Around 90% of the antiques seized during an international operation targeting a cultural property trafficking network will be returned to Bulgaria, Deputy Minister of Culture Todor Chobanov told “Nova TV”.   “This is an unprecedented operation in..

published on 11/25/25 9:22 AM