Trained dogs are invaluable assistants to border police officers and customs officers at the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing point. Days ago, the service dog Pirin helped discover nearly 46 kilograms of cannabis hidden in a car traveling from Serbia to Turkey.
Even in the early hours, traffic at the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing point is quite busy. Days ago, another quantity of drugs was discovered here, found in a car, on the way to Turkey. The drug was discovered after a risk analysis and a joint inspection between customs officials and the Border Police.
Krasimir Chapkanov - Head of MP “Kapitan Andreevo”: "On March 4, around 4:30 pm, a car with foreign registration arrived at the exit for cars. The person driving the car is also a foreign citizen with dual citizenship – Albanian and Serbian. After a risk analysis, together with the Border Police, the car was diverted for a thorough customs inspection."
During the inspection, specially processed hideouts were discovered.
"In the cavities of the vehicle – in the floor and in the fenders, they are factory cavities that have been reworked into hideouts, 107 packages of green, grassy mass were found. After the field drug test, it corresponds to marijuana. It is with a quantity of 45 kg and 760 grams."
The value of the seized quantity is over 330 thousand euros. The operation was carried out after preliminary information.
The Border Police explained that the service dog Pirin, trained to detect narcotic substances, also participated in the inspection.
Yani Peychev, Head of GCPP "Kapitan Andreevo": "At GCPP "Kapitan Andreevo" we have four service dogs, three of which are for detecting explosive substances, and specifically the dog Pirin is for detecting narcotic substances."
The dog helps the officers locate the hiding place of the drug.
"Thanks to the handler, who works with the service dog, there are methods in which, in the presence of a narcotic substance in the motor vehicle, the service dog orients itself and gives a signal for a more thorough check and directs the possible place where the substance is hidden."
According to customs officials, marijuana is most often transported to Turkey. For the past year, over 1100 kilograms of marijuana have been seized. The price there is much higher than in Europe.
At least 10 kilometers is the queue of trucks before the GCPP "Kapitan Andreevo" this morning. Drivers should be careful, as in some places the trucks have occupied not only the emergency lane but also one lane. Traffic through the border crossing point is intense. About 3000 trucks were processed in both directions in the last 24 hours. This is the maximum capacity of the point, which is the largest land crossing.