Ruse District Court detains five suspects in fentanyl production case

The Ruse District Court held a midnight hearing and ordered pre‑trial detention for five individuals accused of running organized crime groups that manufactured and distributed fentanyl. Two defendants were placed under house arrest, one was released on bail, and the remaining three remain in custody. Prosecutors highlighted the operation of a dismantled laboratory in Sofia’s “Faculteta” district, which produced roughly six kilograms of fentanyl valued at about €158 million. Undercover officers from the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP) intercepted courier shipments, including a package concealed in a pair of sports shoes. The court rejected the defence’s request to recuse the supervising prosecutor and to transfer the case to a Sofia court. The rulings can be appealed to the appellate court in Veliko Tarnovo.