Senior Commissioner Miroslav Hristov, head of the Haskovo regional police directorate (ODMVR), told reporters that a special operation in the region has led to 12 arrests and 60 warning notices, issued because of the coming election.

Nobody has been held for vote buying. The directorate has had no reports of votes being bought or sold since the campaign began.

Criminal, economic, security and traffic police are taking part, along with the gendarmerie. Staff from other agencies, including the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency, have also joined. Checkpoints have been set up on roads into and out of the region and in areas seen as high-risk.

Seven people were held for having drugs. The rest were held for drink or drug driving and other offences.

Police have checked more than 1,400 people and more than 1,100 vehicles. They found over 300 breaches of the road traffic law. More than 70 of those checked are known active criminals, and one of them was wanted by police.

Officers seized more than half a tonne of plant protection products with no papers showing where they came from. They suspect the goods were brought in illegally from Turkey, and a pre-trial investigation has begun. Police also took nearly half a tonne of animal-based food products.

Hristov said the operation targets drug possession and dealing, as well as crimes against property and citizens' rights. It also aims to cut road injuries and keep public order.

Four murders were recorded in the region over the past month, two of them in just a few days last week. Police quickly detained the suspects.

The operation will continue on 25 October, when people vote for president and vice president.