€86,260 Undeclared Euros Seized at Kapitan Andreevo Border Crossing
- Bulgarian customs authorities have seized over €85,000 in undeclared currency during a series of inspections at the Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint, a major crossing point between Bulgaria and...
- The largest single discovery, amounting to €40,000, was made on January 28th during a thorough inspection of a truck registered in Turkey.
- On January 31st, authorities discovered €20,000 hidden in the jacket of another truck driver operating a vehicle en route from Belgium to Turkey.
Bulgarian customs authorities have seized over €85,000 in undeclared currency during a series of inspections at the Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint, a major crossing point between Bulgaria and Turkey. The seizures, occurring throughout January and into February , highlight ongoing concerns about cash smuggling in Southeastern Europe.
The largest single discovery, amounting to €40,000, was made on during a thorough inspection of a truck registered in Turkey. According to a statement released by the Customs Agency office in Svilengrad, the cash was found concealed in a drawer beneath the bed in the driver’s cabin and within the driver’s jacket pocket. The truck was reportedly transporting goods from Germany to Turkey.
Further inspections revealed additional undeclared funds. On , authorities discovered €20,000 hidden in the jacket of another truck driver operating a vehicle en route from Belgium to Turkey. A separate inspection on the same day uncovered €11,260 in a bag carried by a German citizen travelling by car from Germany to Syria.
Earlier in January, on , customs officers found €15,000 concealed in the jacket of a driver transporting goods from Germany through Bulgaria to Jordan. A smaller sum of €26,260 was seized in two separate incidents involving truck drivers from Germany.
In total, the seizures amount to over €85,000, equivalent to approximately 171,399 Bulgarian leva according to exchange rates reported in previous seizures at the checkpoint. A separate, larger operation in June resulted in the seizure of nearly 2.8 million leva in undeclared currency, also at Kapitan Andreevo. That operation involved the interception of trucks with Polish registration carrying a combined €900,000 and $500,000.
Pre-trial proceedings have been initiated in all cases, with those found to be in violation facing administrative charges under Bulgaria’s Currency Law. The investigations are being conducted by customs inspectors under the supervision of the Haskovo District Prosecutor’s Office, Territorial Department – Svilengrad.
The Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint has become a focal point for customs enforcement efforts due to its strategic location on a key transit route between Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The checkpoint has seen a significant increase in attempts to smuggle undeclared currency in recent years, reflecting broader trends of illicit financial flows in Southeastern Europe. In May , authorities seized approximately 447,000 BGN in undeclared currency during a week-long operation involving the Customs Agency, the Directorate General “Combating Organized Crime”, the Directorate General “Border Police”, and the National Revenue Agency.
A joint press briefing on revealed that authorities are increasingly relying on intelligence gathering and risk assessment to identify suspicious vehicles and individuals. Valeri Staykov, head of the operations unit at Kapitan Andreevo, noted that some inspections were based on information provided by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate, while others were triggered by the vigilance of customs officers on site.
In October , customs officers at Kapitan Andreevo seized €100,000 in US dollars and €61,500 during inspections of a passenger van and a truck. A similar seizure in November resulted in the discovery of nearly €160,000 in undeclared cash during two separate inspections of trucks leaving the country.
The ongoing efforts to combat cash smuggling at Kapitan Andreevo are part of a wider regional trend. A report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime highlights that Southeastern Europe is increasingly being used as a transit route for illicit financial flows, with significant amounts of undeclared currency being seized at borders throughout the region. In March , authorities seized approximately €1 million in undeclared currency in three vehicles attempting to cross the border from Bulgaria to Turkey.
These seizures underscore the challenges faced by Bulgarian authorities in preventing illicit financial activity and maintaining border security. The Kapitan Andreevo checkpoint remains a critical point of focus in these efforts.