Over 19 tonnes and more than 28,000 litres of agricultural chemicals, including plant protection products and fertilizers, were seized from warehouses belonging to a large agricultural holding in Vardim, near Svishtov. The seizure, conducted by the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA), involved the inspection of three facilities. Authorities reported that only one warehouse was officially licensed for the wholesale storage of such goods, while the other two operated without proper regulation.
During the inspection, officials documented significant violations. In the licensed facility, inspectors found 17.5 tonnes and 510 litres of banned fertilizers lacking Bulgarian labeling, alongside 530 litres of expired fertilizer products. Furthermore, 49 tonnes of sugar bearing Ukrainian labels were also recovered.
The two unregulated warehouses yielded additional contraband, including 10,380 litres and 1.875 tonnes of banned plant protection products without proper local labeling, and 16,725 litres of expired substances. An additional 10 tonnes of sugar was also seized for violating safety protocols. The recovered expired pesticides and fertilizers are slated for destruction, and all banned imported products will undergo further official inspection.
A final determination regarding the seized sugar has not been issued, though it is unlikely to enter the retail market. The BFSA inspections are part of Operation SILVER AXE, a coordinated effort involving Europol and the European Anti-Fraud Office. This operation aims to curb the illegal import and distribution of unregistered pesticides and fertilizers across the EU.
Multiple national agencies, including the National Police and the National Customs Agency, have been notified of the discovered violations.
Topics: #tonnes #banned #fertilizers
