Drugs in Helicopter: 250kg Narcotics Haul Worth Millions of Euros Seized

The State Agency for National Security (DANS), the General Directorate for Combating Organised Crime (GDBOP) and the Prosecutor's Office have dismantled an alleged organised criminal group involved in drug trafficking.

Four people have been detained and charged. Investigators discovered more than 250 kilogrammes of cannabis, with an estimated value of nearly €2 million, at a former grain storage facility near Yambol. They also seized a helicopter which, according to investigators, may have been used in international drug trafficking.

The alleged leader of the group is former footballer from Burgas.

Three members of the organised criminal group were detained at a warehouse near Zimnitsa while they were transshipping the huge amount of marijuana.

Dancho Zhelev, director of a specialised agency in SANS:

“At the site where the individuals were apprehended, an aircraft was also discovered – a small helicopter which, according to our preliminary analysis, was likely used for international drug trafficking.

“The helicopter bears no identifying markings or serial numbers and is not registered.”

The same helicopter had previously been observed carrying out suspicious flights to Bulgaria’s southern neighbour.

Senior Commissioner Darin Kostov, Deputy Director of GDBOP:

“We have documented similar cases in previous years involving the trafficking of narcotics towards Turkey.”

Investigators believe the marijuana discovered alongside the helicopter was also intended for the Turkish market.

Georgi Chinev, Head of the Burgas District Prosecutor’s Office:

“The value of the narcotic substances, based on official judicial pricing, exceeds €2 million. You can imagine that their value on the open market would be many times higher.”

According to information obtained by BNT team of "Po sveta i u nas' news programme, the alleged leader of the criminal group, former Burgas footballer Stamen Angelov, was arrested in the Sofia area after initially managing to evade capture while the other three suspects were being detained.

Investigators are also gathering information on additional individuals who may have been involved in the alleged criminal scheme.