Head of Plovdiv Customs Office Arrested for Smuggling Operation

Miroslav Belyashki, the director of the Plovdiv Customs Office, was arrested earlier today for allegedly facilitating a new smuggling route for cigarettes. Sources from the local administration confirmed the detention, with Belyashki reportedly connected to Nikola Nikolov, also known as "Pascal", the notorious cigarette smuggling figure who has been evading justice in Serbia for several months.

While no official statements have been released regarding the operation, reports indicate that early this morning, special forces entered the Plovdiv Territorial Directorate building to search Belyashki’s office. Anti-mafia officers are also conducting searches at his home.

Smuggling Allegations and Customs Office Involvement

Belyashki, who was appointed to his position in mid-March 2024 by then-Customs Agency Director Petya Bankova, was allegedly involved in trying to protect a truck carrying smuggled cigarettes. According to reports, Belyashki attempted to intervene when the truck was stopped at the "Kapitan Andreevo" customs checkpoint, which is overseen by the Burgas Territorial Customs Directorate. The truck, intercepted based on information from foreign services, was set to transit through Bulgaria en route to Romania. Belyashki reportedly arrived at the checkpoint accompanied by two armed officers, attempting to free the truck and its illicit cargo. It is believed that at least 15 trucks carrying smuggled cigarettes were intended to pass through Bulgaria under similar circumstances, with Romania as the final destination.

Previous Roles and Connections

Before his role at the customs office, Belyashki was a public relations officer for the former mayor of Plovdiv, Zdravko Dimitrov. His partner, Margarita Boycheva, has been linked to various political groups, most recently working in the Plovdiv Regional Administration under the "We Continue the Change" party.

Ongoing Investigation and Arrests

Belyashki's arrest follows a wave of investigations into smuggling activities involving several high-ranking customs officials. Petya Bankova, appointed just before Belyashki, was arrested two weeks after Belyashki, along with Marin and Stefan Dimitrov, for their involvement in Pascal's smuggling operations. The investigation into Bankova revealed that she had been pressured by then-Finance Minister Assen Vassilev to replace regional customs heads, a claim Vassilev denies.