Authorities in Bulgaria have seized over 19 tonnes of plant protection products and fertilizers, along with more than 28,000 litres of chemicals, from a large agricultural holding in Vardim, near Svishtov. The seizure included items that were banned for use in Bulgaria, lacked Bulgarian-language labeling, or had expired. Inspectors from the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) examined three warehouses.
The Agency reported that only one facility was officially licensed for the wholesale storage of such goods, while the other two operated without proper regulation. In the licensed warehouse, inspectors discovered 17.5 tonnes of banned fertilizers lacking proper labels, alongside 530 litres of expired fertilizers. This site also contained 49 tonnes of sugar from sugar beet bearing Ukrainian labels.
The unregulated warehouses yielded significant contraband. 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, an additional 10 tonnes of sugar, stored in violation of safety regulations, were seized.
The seized expired pesticides and fertilizers are slated for destruction, and all banned imported products will undergo further inspection by relevant authorities. A final disposition for the seized sugar remains pending, though it is unlikely to enter the retail market. Multiple government bodies, 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 aimed at curbing the illegal import and distribution of unregistered chemicals across the EU.
Topics: #tonnes #banned #fertilizers
