Opiates

The "Balkan route," including Türkiye, is of vital importance in opiate trafficking as it is the most frequently used route for smuggling heroin and morphine, according to a recent report from the police's anti-narcotic unit.

Nigeria has banned cough syrups containing the painkiller codeine because of concern about misuse and addiction, the government said.

A special police operation seized 112 kg of heroin, worth BGN 14 M, near the border with Turkey, said Bulgaria's Interior Ministry.

According to the report, on November 10 border police patrolling the area of the Shtit village near Svilengrad, noticed four large bags hidden in the thick shrubbery.

Two Greek men aged 45 and 48, as well as a 50-year-old Albanian man have been arrested in Athens and Volos on suspicion of being part of a drug-trafficking ring.

Two more Albanian nationals are being sought, said police.

The men were found in possession of 13.8 kilos of heroin, which they are believed to have smuggled from Turkey.

Three Greeks and two Albanians stand accused of smuggling large quantities of pure heroin into Greece from Turkey after being arrested in Athens and Thessaloniki on October 14, the Greek Police said on Monday.

A 22-year-old man has been arrested at Athens International Airport while trying to smuggle 12 kilos of heroin into the country, police said on Friday.

The Pakistani man arrived in Athens on Thursday night after flying from his homeland via Istanbul.

Authorities said they found the drugs in packages hidden inside his luggage.

Three Bulgarian nationals have been arrested in a special operation of the State Agency for National Security (DANS) aimed at intercepting a drug deal.

The special operation was conducted on September 2, 2014 on the territory of Sofia district by DANS officers under the management of the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office.

Border police seize more than 80 kilos of heroin

BELGRADE -- The Serbian border police have announced that they confiscated more than 80 kilograms of heroin at the Batrovci border crossing with Croatia.

The drugs were found in a Turkish license plates Mercedes driven by a Bulgarian citizen, the MUP said.

Seven suspects were jailed pending trial on Friday after being charged in an unfolding international heroin-trafficking probe.

Fourteen suspected members of an international heroin smuggling racket are to face a magistrate on Tuesday and Wednesday after a Piraeus prosecutor late on Sunday charged them with running a criminal gang and drug trafficking.