Law enforcement operation seized 200 shipments of drugs distributed via Darknet

120,000 tablets containing various psychotropic substances and 40 kg of khat were found by customs officials in nearly 200 postal consignments. The seizures were made between 7 and 17 June 2022 in the framework of a specialised operation against drug trafficking via Darknet and "Web Thunder" parcels. The operation was carried out by customs officers from the Anti-Drug Trafficking Department of the Sofia Customs Territorial Directorate, together with the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) office and under the guidance of Sofia City Prosecutor's Office.

The customs officers intercepted and prevented the dispatch of 198 shipments to various destinations abroad.

It has been established that the contents of the shipments - small quantities of tablets or narcotic substances - were negotiated through Darknet platforms, the shipments were prepared in depots and sent via a regular service from Bulgaria to their recipients - end customers in the USA, Europe and Australia.

One depot for shipment preparation and three different networks for trafficking psychotropic substances by mail to the United States, Western Europe and Australia have been disrupted.

Four pre-trial proceedings have already been initiated in the cases and investigations are ongoing. Numerous searches and seizures have been carried out in homes, offices and warehouses in Sofia and Lovech.

More than 120,000 tablets of the type of Tramadol, Oxycodone Fentanyl, Diazepam and others containing various psychotropic substances, as well as 40 kg of khat were seized, some of the narcotic substances were found in parcels and others were found in the depots prepared for shipment.

One person was charged with attempted qualified drug smuggling. Work on the cases continues.