Detention of Officers from Varna Arrest Following Inspection

Five employees from the supervisory and security staff of a detention center in the city of Varna have been detained, the Ministry of Justice announced.

The ministry clarifies that today, by order of the Minister of Justice Georgi Georgiev, searches were carried out in the detention center by employees of the "Internal Security" and "Security and Safety in Places of Deprivation of Liberty" sectors of the General Directorate "Execution of Sentences" (GDIN), jointly with the Regional Prosecutor's Office and the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior. The searches covered all bedrooms, service and office premises on the territory of the detention center, as well as vehicles.

Early this morning, at 4:30 AM, a training alarm was announced in the detention center, located on the territory of the prison in the city of Varna. The signal also initiated the searches, which led to the discovery of items for which the necessary documents were not provided. Among them were found equipment, tablets with unknown content, needles and syringes. As a result of the conducted operation, five employees from the supervisory and security staff of the detention center in Varna were detained. The checks continue.

The Ministry of Justice reports that sudden inspections in places of deprivation of liberty have been a routine practice in recent months, carried out by order of Minister Georgi Georgiev. The main goal of these inspections is to determine the introduction of prohibited items intended for those deprived of liberty.

At the end of August, the Ministry of Justice informed the public about the measures taken. For a period of a month and a half, GDIN employees managed to prevent the introduction of a significant number of prohibited items. The data show prevented attempts to introduce 25 mobile phones, as well as 11 attempts to introduce narcotic substances in places of deprivation of liberty.