9-kg Marijuana Deal Foiled in Sofia; Four Arrested

Sofia police have foiled a deal involving 9kg of marijuana worth €70,000. Four men have been detained for up to 72 hours, one of whom has a previous conviction for marijuana distribution. According to the investigation, the group regularly supplied and distributed significant quantities of drugs in Sofia and elsewhere in the country.

The four men had been under surveillance by the Narcotics Unit for some time. They are aged between 25 and 32, and two of them are brothers from the town of Elena. They periodically sold large quantities of drugs.

Senior Commissioner Dimitar Andonov, Deputy Director of the General Directorate of National Police: “The Narcotics Unit of the Criminal Police Department conducted a two-month investigation, during which the deal was foiled on the 6th and further distribution across the country was prevented.”

The four men have been charged. Regarding the distribution of fentanyl, a deadly drug that has replaced heroin on the streets, police said that following a major operation in the Fakulteta neighbourhood in August, fentanyl distribution had become less centralised.

Chief Inspector Kalin Rachev, Head of the Narcotics Unit at the General Directorate of National Police: “Small groups of people are trying every possible way to obtain this drug and sell it. Our observations are that distribution is currently taking place in smaller quantities, and we have not yet identified any locations where larger quantities are being produced.”

Later this week, Sofia City Court is due to consider the remand measure for a woman detained with 80g of fentanyl. As fentanyl use is more widespread outside Sofia, the Narcotics Unit plans to meet with colleagues across the country. Plovdiv ranks highest in terms of drug-related deaths.