Five Bulgarian citizens and ten Brazilians were arrested during an anti-drug police operation, in which a drug smuggling ring between Latin America to Europe and the near east was uncovered.

All of the arrested were sailors, Focus news agency reported.

Brazilian police seized a total of 103kg of cocaine on board of two ships, property of Navigation Maritime Bulgare (Navibulgare), hired by foreign companies.

According to the police, the drugs came from Columbia.

Interpol and the Bulgarian office alarmed Brazilian police, Focus said.

On December 1 2007, German police arrested two Bulgarian sailors with 20 kg of cocaine on board of the ship Lilyana Dimitrova. One of the Bulgarians was carrying half of the drug, the other half was in the cabin of the second. On the same day, Brazilian police detained a third Bulgarian with 11 kg of cocaine.

On December 6, police in Brazil arrested two other Bulgarians on board of the ship Petimata ot RMS. One of the arrested,  Orlin Nikolov Yordanov, had a previous criminal record. He was suspected to be the leader of the gang and was wanted by Interpol. Yordanov was arrested while trafficking 30kg of cocaine, on board of a ship, which was to depart for Dubai.

At the moment, it has not been not proven that the Bulgarian companies took part in the smuggling ring.