Budimir Kujovic and three Bulgarians

The four had attempted to smuggle 60kg of high quality heroin from Turkey into Bulgaria. It was then to be distributed in European Union countries. The arrest took place in Plovdiv. The Interior Ministry named the perpetrator as Kujovic, who was described as one of the most prolific traffickers in the Balkan region. During the arrest Kujovic had allegedly injured a Plovdiv police officer. Kujovic was transferred to Stara Zagora where he was charged with drug trafficking. The four could face up to 10 years in prison.
On December 29 another 60kg haul of heroin was seized on its way into the country at the Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint with Turkey. It was again linked to Kujovic by the Interior Ministry.
In February 2007 Kujovic received a two-year suspended sentence with a three-year probation period for entering Bulgaria illegally and staying in the country with fake identity documents. Because of this, his presence in the country provoked some questions but Iliev had the answers.
On January 1 he told reporters that he had resigned over an unsuccessful attempt to seize four tons of drugs. He had signed off the plan to capture the haul but the drugs never passed through Bulgaria’s borders.
He was adamant that he had had no choice but to endorse the operation against Kujovic. The drugs did not come when expected and somebody had to take the responsibility, Iliev said.
From his statement it became clear that letting Kujovic into Bulgaria was part of the operation. “Sixty kilograms of heroin is not a bad result. For me this means that the operation had been completed successfully. I think that now we are even with Kujovic.”
Iliev said he had sign off the operation while travelling around the country. He gave the green light while he was in Razgrad because he had to react quickly, based on information intercepted by the police. That was why Interior Minister Roumen Petkov was not informed about it on time and learned of the operation days later.
“Of course we cannot expect that there is a drug trafficker in the world that will transport four tons of drugs in one shipment. However we have managed to stop the drug trafficking channel and this is what counts.”
On January 2 Iliev received support from Petkov. “Iliev was mislead into approving the operation which let Kujovic into the country,” Petkov told a news conference. “Police officers from Razgrad police department were being investigated in relation to the operation,” he said. The positive backing Iliev received from his former boss coincided with warm words from Iliev about the Interior Ministry. “My professional life was within the ministry and I feel bad about leaving it. However I am a pensioner now but I hope that President Georgi Purvanov and Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev will reconsider their decision about accepting my resignation because I could be useful to Bulgaria with my knowledge.”