Eight men from Sofia were arrested illegally excavating Thracian tombs near the town of Pernik. Six were arrested at the site of the archaeological site and two, allegedly organisers of the illegal excavation, were arrested subsequently. The men were aged 24-52. A 46-year-old man from Sofia also was detained in connection with illegal excavation and vandalism.

At subsequent searches at various addresses, police found and confiscated firearms with erased numbers, ammunition, masks, tools, security jamming equipment, 300 coins of cultural and historical value – some identified as Roman sestertii – earrings, rings and other jewellery of cultural and historical value. Members of the group were being held in 72-hour detention, the Interior Ministry said.