Of Tonnes of Banned Pesticides, Fertilizers Seized Near Svishtov

Authorities seized over 19 tonnes and more than 28,000 litres of plant protection products and fertilizers from warehouses belonging to a major agricultural holding in Vardim, near Svishtov. The products were confiscated because they were either banned for use in Bulgaria, lacked Bulgarian-language labeling, or had expired. Inspectors from the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) inspected three warehouses storing large quantities of agricultural inputs.

The BFSA stated that only one facility was officially registered for the wholesale storage and trade of such goods, while the other two operated without proper regulation. In the licensed warehouse, inspectors discovered 17.5 tonnes and 510 litres of banned fertilizers lacking Bulgarian labels, alongside 530 litres of expired fertilizers. This same facility also held 49 tonnes of sugar from sugar beet bearing Ukrainian labels.

Within the unregulated warehouses, authorities found 10,380 litres and 1.875 tonnes of banned plant protection products without Bulgarian labels, in addition to 16,725 litres of expired substances. Furthermore, 10 tonnes of sugar, stored in violation of safety regulations, were also seized. Expired pesticides and fertilizers are scheduled 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 expected not to enter the retail market. Multiple state agencies, including the National Police General Directorate and the National Customs Agency, were notified of the violations. These BFSA inspections are part of Operation SILVER AXE, an initiative coordinated by Europol and supported by the European Anti-Fraud Office, aimed at combating the illegal import and distribution of unregistered pesticides and fertilizers across the EU.

Topics: #tonnes #banned #fertilizers