“Cocaine Kingpin” Evelin Banev voluntarily surrendered to the Bulgarian law enforcement authorities

Internationally wanted Bulgarian Evelin Banev aka Brendo unexpectedly surrendered to the law enforcement authorities in Bulgaria on June 24 and is now in prison. Thus, he will finally serve a 6-year sentence for money laundering, handed down back in 2018 in Bulgaria. Banev has been wanted since 2018 on a red Interpol notice. He has three convictions. In addition to the one in Bulgaia, he was also sentenced in Romania to 10 years and in Italy to 20 years in prison for cocaine trafficking. Brendo became known by the nickname "cocaine kingpin".

Since 2018, Evelin Banev has been wanted for drug trafficking, he has convictions in Bulgaria and Italy. In 2021, he was found in a house near the Ukrainian capital Kiev. According to Ukrainian police, he used foreign documents and the house was rented. A drug lab was found in it.

In October of that year, it was revealed that Brendo had Ukrainian citizenship and could avoid serving his sentences because, according to the Ukrainian constitution, citizens of Ukraine cannot be extradited to another country.

Over the years, Brendo's name has often been in the news both in the country and around the world. In 2012, 30 people were arrested in the international Cocaine Kings raid, and Evelin Banev was among them.

The notorious "cocaine kingpin" is known for his caution and for years remained elusive for the judicial system. Investigations so far have established that he uses several identities.