A large-scale police operation in Sozopol led to the seizure of around 440 kilograms of nitrous oxide and the detention of seven individuals, the Burgas Regional Directorate of the Interior Ministry confirmed. Those arrested are aged between 18 and 20, including a woman, and are mainly from Sofia and Pernik.
According to authorities, officers discovered the shipment late yesterday afternoon, around 5:00 p.m., in a parking area behind a major commercial site in the coastal town. The delivery was reportedly intended for distribution to nightclubs, bars, and other entertainment venues along Bulgaria’s southern Black Sea coast.
Initial findings suggest the gas was prepared for loading into three separate vehicles. During inspections of the cars on site, police also found and confiscated additional quantities of bottles and related equipment used for distribution, according to reporting by BTA correspondent Galya Teneva.
Investigators say the shipment consisted of roughly 80 boxes, each containing 5.5-kilogram cylinders, bringing the total to about 440 kilograms of laughing gas prepared for market distribution in entertainment establishments.
A police statement said: “A record quantity of nitrous oxide – 440 kilograms – was seized today during a specialized police operation carried out by officers from the Regional Police Department in Sozopol.”
