Authorities in Bulgaria have seized over 19 tonnes of plant protection products and fertilizers, along with more than 28,000 litres of materials, from warehouses belonging to a major agricultural holding near Svishtov. The seized inventory included items that were banned for use in Bulgaria, lacked Bulgarian-language labeling, or had passed their expiration dates. Inspectors from the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) examined three storage facilities.
The BFSA reported that only one warehouse was officially licensed for the wholesale trade of such goods, while the other two operated without proper regulation. Within the licensed facility, inspectors discovered 17.5 tonnes and 510 litres of banned fertilizers lacking Bulgarian labels, alongside 530 litres of expired fertilizers. This same location also held 49 tonnes of sugar beet sugar labeled in Ukrainian.
The two unregulated warehouses yielded significant violations. Authorities found 10,380 litres and 1.875 tonnes of banned plant protection products without Bulgarian labeling, in addition to 16,725 litres of expired substances. Furthermore, an additional 10 tonnes of sugar, stored improperly, were also confiscated.
Expired pesticides and fertilizers are slated for destruction, and all banned imported products will face further review by relevant authorities. A final determination regarding the seized sugar has not been issued, though it is unlikely to reach the retail market. Multiple national agencies, including the National Police General Directorate and the National Customs Agency, have been notified of the violations.
These inspections are part of Operation SILVER AXE, a coordinated effort involving Europol and the European Anti-Fraud Office, aimed at curtailing the illegal import and distribution of unregistered pesticides and fertilizers across the EU.
Topics: #tonnes #banned #fertilizers
