Drugs — Bulgaria

Holding any illegal drug in Bulgaria is a crime, and the Criminal Code writes in no small-amount exception: acquiring or possessing narcotic substances or their analogues without proper authorisation carries one to six years in prison plus a fine of 2,000 to 10,000 leva where the substance is classified high-risk, and up to five years plus a fine of 1,000 to 5,000 leva where it is classified a risk substance. Only in minor cases does the penalty drop to a fine of up to 1,000 leva, and that is the court's call. Which substances fall in which class is set by separate drug-control legislation, the Act on Control over Narcotic Substances and Precursors, and not by the Criminal Code, so do not assume any particular substance is treated leniently. Acquiring or holding drugs in a public place with intent to distribute, or distributing them, is punished far more heavily at five to fifteen years, and the drugs and the means used for the offence are forfeited to the State. The rules are national; there is no local variation and no separate tourist allowance.

Criminal Code (Наказателен кодекс), art. 354a, as printed in the Ministry of Justice consolidated text current to State Gazette issue 55 of 16 June 2026. Acquiring or possessing narcotic substances or their analogues without proper authorisation, art. 354a(3): high-risk substances, 1 to 6 years' imprisonment and a fine of 2,000 to 10,000 leva; risk substances, up to 5 years and a fine of 1,000 to 5,000 leva. Minor cases under paras 3 and 4, art. 354a(5): a fine of up to 1,000 leva. Producing, processing, acquiring or holding with intent to distribute, or distributing, art. 354a(1): high-risk, 2 to 8 years and a fine of 5,000 to 20,000 leva; risk substances, 1 to 6 years and 2,000 to 10,000 leva; where the object is precursors or equipment or materials for production, 3 to 12 years and 20,000 to 100,000 leva. Large amounts, art. 354a(2): 3 to 12 years and 10,000 to 50,000 leva. Acquiring or holding with intent to distribute, or distributing, in a public place, or especially large amounts, or where the offender acts for an organised criminal group, is a doctor or pharmacist, is an educator, teacher or head of a school, or acts under dangerous recidivism: 5 to 15 years and a fine of 20,000 to 100,000 leva. Breaching the rules established for production, acquisition, keeping, accounting, dispensing, transport or carriage of narcotic substances, art. 354a(4): up to 5 years and a fine of up to 5,000 leva. In all cases under paras 1 to 5 the object and the means of the offence are forfeited to the State, art. 354a(6). Fines are stated in leva exactly as the Criminal Code prints them; the Code carries no euro figures and none is converted here.

Verified Oct 15, 2026