Bulgarian Police Apprehend 15 Irregular Migrants on Coastal Road near Tsarevo

Crime | August 6, 2016, Saturday


File photo by BGNES

Police have arrested 15 foreign nationals carrying no identity documents with them near the town of Tsarevo, on Bulgaria’s southeastern tip bordering Turkey, local media reported on Saturday.

The irregular migrants were discovered in a Stara Zagora-registered Mercedes-Benz ML 320 SUV, which police stopped for inspection on a road linking Tsarevo with the village of Lozenets on Friday.

All of the foreign nationals claimed to be Iraqi citizens, according to media reports.The 23-year old Bulgarian driver of the vehicle was detained into police custody for 24 hours.

Police have launched criminal proceedings over people smuggling.The group of irregular migrants was the third in as many days discovered in the border area close to the Black Sea coast.

Five migrants carrying no identity documents were discovered on the costal road linking the town of Ahtopol with the nearby village of Varvara on Friday.

Thirty-two foreign nationals who claimed to be Iraqi citizens were found in the back of a van in the city of Burgas on Wednesday.

Bulgarian Police Apprehend 15 Irregular Migrants on Coastal Road near Tsarevo