Congolese Diplomat Arrested in Bulgaria Over $50M Drug Smuggling Attempt

The vehicle the Congolese diplomat as it was being checked by Bulgarian border officials

A Congolese diplomat has been arrested in Bulgaria alongside two other individuals over an attempt to smuggle high-risk narcotics worth an estimated $50 million across the Bulgarian-Turkish border.

According to an official statement from the Bulgarian Customs Agency, the Haskovo District Prosecutor’s Office has filed charges against J.M., a 40-year-old citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who was traveling on a diplomatic passport.

Two other individuals—D.H., a 43-year-old Bulgarian national, and D.A., a 54-year-old Belgian citizen born in the Republic of Congo—were also arrested in the operation.

The three suspects have been charged with attempting to transport a high-risk narcotic substance across Bulgaria’s southern border into Turkey without proper authorization, in violation of Bulgaria’s strict anti-narcotics trafficking laws.

The intercepted drugs, while not officially disclosed in quantity or type, have been classified by authorities as “high-risk narcotics,” with preliminary valuation estimated in the range of $50 million, according to officials familiar with the investigation.

The suspects were apprehended in the southern region of Haskovo, a key transit point along the Balkan route frequently used in international drug smuggling networks.

The Bulgarian Customs Agency and the Prosecutor’s Office said the operation was part of an ongoing crackdown on organized cross-border drug trafficking.

All three individuals are currently in pre-trial detention, and if convicted, they face prison sentences ranging from 15 to 20 years under Bulgarian law.

The arrest of a diplomatic passport holder in such a serious case has drawn international attention and may trigger diplomatic discussions between Bulgaria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Officials have not yet confirmed whether the Congolese national’s diplomatic status will affect prosecution or if diplomatic immunity claims have been made.

Bulgaria’s Customs Agency said investigations are ongoing and further details would be released in due course.