A Congolese diplomat, based in Brussels, has been detained in Bulgaria, suspected of smuggling cocaine in suitcases to Turkey. Jean De Dieu Mutebwa Mulumba was reportedly caught red-handed last week, according to a court document seen by AFP.
The diplomat allegedly exploited his diplomatic status to transport illegal drugs across European borders into Turkey on multiple occasions. This illicit operation occurred at least five times over the past year, as detailed within the official court documentation.
The diplomat was among three individuals apprehended at the Bulgarian-Turkish border during a Friday narcotics interception. Authorities discovered several suitcases collectively holding more than 200 kilograms of cocaine inside his official diplomatic vehicle.
Upon his arrest, the 40-year-old Second Secretary at the Democratic Republic of Congo Embassy denied knowledge of his luggage contents. He claimed he was merely traveling to Bulgaria for a shopping excursion, unaware of the illicit cargo he transported.
A 54-year-old Belgian woman accompanying him in the diplomatic car also stated she believed the suitcases contained gold. Additionally, a 43-year-old Bulgarian man, allegedly involved in the extensive trafficking operation, was simultaneously arrested there.
Prosecutors indicated the suspects followed a “well-established modus operandi,” relying on unchecked diplomatic vehicle passage for illicit transport. The trio now faces significant legal repercussions and could potentially receive sentences of up to twenty years in prison.
With the global cocaine trade reaching unprecedented record levels, Bulgaria maintains a strategic position for illicit narcotics transport. This route facilitates goods arriving from Latin America destined for major Western European ports.