SOFIA, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian authorities have arrested 170 suspects in a nationwide police operation targeting drug-related crimes, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement on Tuesday.
The operation, carried out from Jan. 8 to Jan. 12, involved inspections of about 3,000 drinking, nightlife, and entertainment establishments, almost 1,400 areas near schools and kindergartens, and around 1,150 known drug hangouts and other locations frequented by criminals, the statement said.
During the raids, law enforcement officers seized nearly 9 kg of marijuana, about 300 grams of cocaine, 50 grams of heroin, over 3 kg of designer drugs, and other narcotics. Several drug greenhouses in the cities of Sofia, Varna, and Burgas were also dismantled, resulting in the confiscation of significant quantities of dried cannabis, plants, and cultivation equipment.
"The efforts of the Ministry of Interior continue with daily targeted actions on one of the main priorities -- combating crimes related to the production and distribution of narcotics," the statement added. ■
