Attempts to smuggle prohibited items into Bulgarian prisons and correctional facilities have reached new heights of ingenuity. This is clear from a recent announcement by Minister of Justice Georgi Georgiev, published on his official Facebook page. In his post, he revealed some of the most shocking cases, which highlight the continuous battle between employees of the General Directorate of Prisons (GDP) and individuals attempting to bring in illegal goods.
Increased Control and Seized Contraband
According to Minister Georgiev, in the last month and a half alone, GDP employees have prevented a number of audacious attempts to smuggle contraband. Among the most unusual hiding places were a melon in which three mobile phones were found, and a stove containing eight devices. Another case that caused astonishment was the discovery of a mobile phone hidden in a tube of medicine. These examples, cited by the minister, illustrate that the criminal world knows no bounds when it comes to hiding prohibited items.
As a result of increased control, a total of 25 mobile phones that were to be smuggled in illegally were uncovered during this period. There were also 11 cases involving narcotic substances. The fact that employees discovered clothes soaked in drugs, which were intended for inmates during visits, is particularly worrying. These methods show the unscrupulousness of the perpetrators, who use even visits from loved ones to transport dangerous substances.
Since the beginning of July, authorities have seized a total of 46 mobile phones, found both in specially prepared caches and directly in the possession of inmates. During the same period, 29 cases involving narcotic substances were registered. This alarming statistic prompted the minister to order unscheduled checks at all places of detention.
The minister emphasized that control will remain heightened both at entrances and during routine checks inside prisons. He announced that with every discovered case of prohibited items and substances, additional investigations are conducted and appropriate punishment is imposed.
Heightened Measures After Death
These drastic measures are directly related to a series of events that shook the correctional system. The BTA news agency recalls that as early as May, checks of luggage and personal searches of inmates began, in accordance with the Law on the Execution of Sentences and Detention. The reason for this stricter enforcement of the law was the death of an inmate in the "Kremikovtsi" correctional facility, which drew public attention to the problems with security and control in the penitentiary system.