Authorities in Bulgaria have seized over 19 tonnes of plant protection products and fertilizers, along with more than 28,000 litres of substances, from warehouses belonging to a major agricultural holding near Svishtov. The seizure occurred after inspectors from the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) examined three storage facilities. According to a press release on Thursday, the BFSA found that only one of the warehouses was officially licensed for the wholesale storage of such goods, while the other two operated without proper authorization.
In the licensed facility, inspectors recovered 17.5 tonnes and 510 litres of banned fertilizers lacking Bulgarian labeling, in addition to 530 litres of expired fertilizers. The same site also contained 49 tonnes of sugar beet sugar labeled in Ukrainian. The two unregulated warehouses yielded 10,380 litres and 1.875 tonnes of banned plant protection products without required Bulgarian labels, alongside 16,725 litres of expired materials.
An additional 10 tonnes of sugar, stored improperly, was also confiscated. 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, but it is expected not to enter the retail market.
Multiple 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 by Europol and the European Anti-Fraud Office designed to combat the illegal import and distribution of unregistered pesticides and fertilizers across the EU.
Topics: #tonnes #banned #fertilizers
