The notorious Bulgarian drug smuggler Evelin "Brendo" Banev has surrendered to Bulgaria's judiciary.
Banev has been internationally wanted by several European countries since 2018. The former wrestler was arrested in Kiev in 2021, but Ukraine refused to extradite him as he had acquired Ukrainian citizenship. Since then, it has been unclear where Banev was located.
In video clips on social media, the 59-year-old is now seen walking towards a prison in Bulgaria's capital Sofia, accompanied by his lawyer. When a reporter asks Banev if he understands what he is doing, he replies "of course".
Banev has been convicted of money laundering in Bulgaria and drug trafficking in Romania, but has managed to evade justice. In 2017, he was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment in Italy for smuggling up to 40 tons of cocaine from Latin America, which he allegedly supplied to, among others, the 'Ndrangheta mafia.
