Eight people were arrested while transporting the heroin-laden cans in a minivan.

According to Plovdiv prosecutor Marin Peltekov, the drugs were destined for distribution within the country.

Separately, the Bulgarian customs agency said it seized 45 kilogrammes of heroin in a tourist bus that had entered the country via the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing with Turkey.

The drugs were divided up into 90 packages and sprinkled with red pepper so as to put the sniffer dogs off the scent.

Three people were arrested.

Bulgaria lies on the main drug-trafficking route from Asia to Western Europe and seizes hundreds of kilogrammes of heroin at its borders every year.

Meanwhile, doctors constantly warn of the rising use of heroin within the country.

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