Bulgaria Targets Human Traffickers: Tougher Penalties for Using Someone Else’s Vehicle

Trafficers caught transporting migrants across Bulgaria’s border while under the influence of alcohol or drugs will now be required to pay the full market value of the vehicle they used - regardless of ownership. This new measure targets cases where the vehicle is stolen, missing, or belongs to another person, and is part of proposed amendments to the Criminal Code, recently made public by the Ministry of Justice for consultation.

The changes come as a direct response to the Constitutional Court’s ruling on July 17, 2025, which struck down parts of Articles 280 and 281 of the Criminal Code....