The Customs Agency provided free of charge to the Bulgarian Red Cross 294,000 protective face masks, confiscated in favor of the state. The goods were detained on March 22, 2020 at the Kapitan Andreevo Customs Checkpoint.
The masks were detained by customs officers of the General Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation during an inspection of a truck entering the country from Turkey. The driver, a Polish citizen, presented regular documents for the transported goods – mostly textiles. Upon inspection with X-ray equipment and subsequent physical control, the customs officers found that there were 294,000 medical masks in 155 packages, which were not described in the customs documents.
An agreement has been concluded with the infringer, the masks have been confiscated in favor of the State and released for free circulation without being subject to import duties pursuant to Regulation (EC) (1186/2009.
The protective face masks remain at the disposal of the Bulgarian Red Cross in a warehouse of the Customs Agency.
The order of the Director of the Customs Agency was issued on the grounds of § 30, para. 2 and para. 1 of the Transitional and Final Provisions of the Law on Measures and Actions during the State of Emergency announced by a decision of the National Assembly of March 13, 2020.
Source: Customs Agency