Tsarevo Court Detains 21-Year-Old Georgian Trafficker After Dangerous Police Chase
Tsarevo, Bulgaria – The District Court in Tsarevo has imposed the most severe measure of detention, namely "custody", on a 21-year-old citizen of Georgia. The young man is accused of human trafficking after he crashed a minibus carrying 24 migrants on Saturday evening during a police chase. The injured individuals are from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran.
The dramatic scene unfolded on the streets after the driver, attempting to evade police forces, lost control of the vehicle. According to official information, after the crash, the accused jumped from the moving bus and tried to hide. A large-scale search began, lasting over 16 hours, which mobilized significant police forces in the area. Tension filled the air as law enforcement officers searched every corner. In the end, the man was apprehended by police in a taxi while he was trying to escape from the area of the incident.
During the court hearing, the accused categorically denied his guilt. He refused to sign the indictment and claimed that he was not present at all in the Lozenets area, where the crash occurred. This version, however, was officially refuted by the prosecution. Representatives of the state prosecution indicated that they have undeniable evidence. Among them are:
- footage from security cameras that filmed the young man leaving the scene;
- multiple witness testimonies that further support the accusation.
The prosecution noted a disturbing trend in the behavior of human traffickers in recent months. According to them, more and more often, after being spotted by police, drivers of vehicles carrying migrants intentionally cause crashes. This dangerous pattern of behavior, which puts their lives and those of the illegal passengers at risk, is intended to divert the attention of law enforcement authorities so they can take advantage of the chaos and escape.
If found guilty of the charges, the 21-year-old Georgian citizen faces a heavy punishment. The law provides a prison sentence of 2 to 10 years for such crimes. The case continues to develop, with new details about the investigation expected.