Arrested in a spectacular operation by the General Directorate of Drug Enforcement Administration (GDBOP) held on February 18, Ognyan Atanasov, known as the "Bulgarian Escobar", was pardoned by the presidential institution in our country at the end of 2022, BNT reported.
In 2019, Atanasov was sentenced by the Court of Appeal in Thessaloniki to 15 years in prison for drug trafficking and sale in Greece, after which he was transferred to serve his sentence in Bulgaria.
But in 2022, the Bulgarian presidential institution pardoned Atanas for 10 years of his sentence, after medical documents from an expert medical commission were presented to the Presidential Pardons Commission, according to which Ognyan's health condition had improved over the past 20 years. Atanasov was constantly deteriorating. The conclusion was that the punishment was incompatible with the convict's health and posed a danger to his life.
In 2023, Atanasov resumed his drug trafficking and distribution activities, but not in Greece, but mainly in Southwestern Bulgaria.
On February 18, Ognyan Atanasov and his friend Assen A., nicknamed Chorata, were detained near Simitli with over four kilograms of cocaine worth 560 thousand leva. In addition to them, 7 more men were detained, who are believed to be part of an organized criminal group for drug distribution.
On February 19, charges were brought against 7 of the detainees, and Ognyan Atanasov was named as the leader of the criminal group.