Cocaine found in car of Russian metropolitan in Czech Republic. Police detained him at petrol station
Czech police confirmed that cocaine was found in the car of Metropolitan Hilarion of the Russian Orthodox Church. The clergyman was detained on 24 May at a petrol station and released without charge two days later.
Cocaine found in car of Russian metropolitan in Czech Republic. Police detained him at petrol station
Czech police confirmed the discovery of cocaine in the car of Metropolitan Hilarion (Grigory Alferov) of the Russian Orthodox Church. The information was reported by the news server Deník N.
Police officers detained the clergyman on 24 May at a petrol station in the Czech Republic. During an inspection of his car, they discovered three packages containing white powder. A subsequent laboratory test confirmed that it was cocaine. The investigation into the case is still ongoing.
Two days after his arrest, the church official was released without charge. He later travelled back to Moscow.
Hilarion, who until recently served in Karlovy Vary, denies any connection to the substances found. He claims that he was subjected to pressure in the Czech Republic and that he is being perceived as a "Moscow agent".
According to him, the representative office of the Russian Orthodox Church abroad is perceived as a cover for Russian intelligence services.
From 2009 to 2022, Hilarion headed the foreign affairs department of the Moscow Patriarchate and was considered one of possible successors to Patriarch Kirill. In 2022, however, he was suddenly removed from his post and sent to Hungary. There he had previously fallen under the shadow of scandal – he faced accusations of sexual harassment, which he denies. In December 2024 he was transferred to the Czech Republic.
Source: Google News LV — Crime (lv)