Customs officers seize over 400 drug packages from courier warehouse in one day
Bulgarian customs inspectors seized over 400 packages containing narcotic substances during a one-day inspection at a courier company's warehouse. The drugs were hidden in electronic cigarettes, sweets and lollipops.
Over 400 drug packages discovered in courier warehouse during "Hydra" operation
Customs inspectors seized over 400 packages containing narcotic substances during a one-day inspection of a courier company warehouse on Wednesday, the Customs Agency reported, cited by Novinite.com.
The seized substances include more than 10 types of synthetic and semi-synthetic cannabinoids, concealed in consumer goods — electronic cigarettes, sweets and lollipops.
The packages arrived from another EU member state and therefore did not pass through standard border controls or customs procedures.
The Customs Agency noted that the products were intended for individual consumers and are offered for sale — legally or semi-legally — through websites operating in European countries with more liberal regulatory frameworks. Although the legislation of these countries provides for sales only on the domestic market, the free movement of goods within the EU allows them to be sent to other member states.
The latest seizure was conducted as part of the ongoing "Hydra" operation, which the drug-trafficking division of the Customs Agency has been conducting since May. To date, over 5,000 drug packages have been intercepted, with the agency noting that their main recipients have been identified as young people and minors.
In cooperation with the cybercrime unit of the General Directorate for Combating Organised Crime (GDBOP), the authorities have blocked access to several websites based in Bulgaria and initiated numerous pre-trial proceedings.
The Customs Agency stated that it is working in close cooperation with a number of courier companies to identify such packages and prevent them from entering the country's territory.
Source: Novinite.com