The sixth crew member of the Verila ship arrested in connection with the investigation into drug smuggling is also Bulgarian citizen, the Interior Ministry’s Secretary General Zhivko Kotsev said for Nova TV. "We are working with the Irish police and customs authorities. The number of detained Bulgarian citizens has increased from 5 to 6. Three of the individuals have criminal records. I know what their positions are. I want to believe that the crew members have nothing to do with this drug smuggling", Zhivko Kotsev explained.

The Irish authorities arrested five crew members of the Verila ship at the Port of Foynes on December 22. The detentions were part of an investigation into the trafficking of half a ton of cocaine worth millions of Euros. The crew consisted of 17 Bulgarians and one Ukrainian. The bulk carrier, owned by the Navigation Maritime Bulgare company, was carrying grain from Canada.

• Irish police arrests another crew member of Verila Ship

  
  

• Five crew members of the Bulgarian ship Verila have been detained in Ireland