A sudden police check at the Karaagach checkpoint, on the road to Burgas, led to the arrest of a 21-year-old foreign national who was wanted in connection with the brazen abandonment of a van full of illegal migrants. The capture of the man, who attempted to flee the area in a taxi, is the result of intensive operational and investigative actions.
The incident took place just one day earlier, when at around 7 PM, the driver of a van ignored police orders, entering the village of Lozenets. Instead of stopping, he jumped out of the moving vehicle and abandoned it, leaving 24 illegal migrants inside. The investigation into the case is ongoing with the aim of its full clarification.
Analysis of migration trends
While the police are investigating this specific incident, the General Directorate "Border Police" (GDGP) announced a significant drop in the migrant flow to Bulgaria. Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov, director of the GDGP, provided data that highlights the scale of the change.
According to official statistics presented by Zlatanov, for the first eight months of 2023 – a period identified as the most difficult in terms of migration pressure – 115,000 attempts at illegal entry into the country were prevented. For the same period this year, however, this number has dropped drastically to just 9,700 attempts.
The Chief Commissioner noted that the Bulgarian authorities are managing to detain almost all individuals who have still managed to cross the border or are attempting to leave through the land borders with Serbia and Romania. This success, according to Zlatanov, is due to several key factors.
Complex set of measures and cooperation
The drop in migration pressure is the result of a complex set of measures. A key contribution comes from the intensified border security, supported by better technical equipment, including video surveillance and new vehicles. Another important element is the active cooperation with the police services of neighboring countries.
Particular attention was paid to the intensified operational work and investigative activities aimed at breaking up human trafficking networks. This activity, carried out jointly with the GDBSOP and SANS, and under the supervision of various public prosecutors' offices, has led to the neutralization of 15 criminal networks in the past year alone. As Zlatanov explained, the leaders of these networks have already been convicted, which sends a strong message to other traffickers.
One of the clearest indicators of the success of this fight is the dramatic increase in the "price of the service". If in 2023 traffickers were working for 700-1,000 euros per person, the price for crossing through Bulgaria has now jumped to 8,000-20,000 euros, depending on the transportation conditions. Zlatanov emphasized that
"When crossing through the territory of Bulgaria was easy, the price of the service was significantly lower". This increase directly reflects the increased risk and difficulties faced by the criminal networks.
The current success in the fight against illegal migration is in sharp contrast to previous years and demonstrates the effectiveness of the joint efforts between the various security services. Despite the positive trend, investigative actions in specific cases, such as the capture of the 21-year-old foreigner, continue to be a priority.