Bulgaria's customs officers uncovered more than 1500 cases of illegal entry in Bulgaria in 2006, National Border Police Service director Krasimir Petrov said as quoted by Darik Radio.
Most people who entered the country illegally were heading to European Union countries.
Another 850 foreigners were banned from entering Bulgaria and 63 foreigners were expelled from the country, Petrov said.
Bulgarian customs officers detained 62 people wanted by Interpol.
Foreigners attempted almost every week to enter in Bulgaria from Turkey hidden in vehicles, Petrov said as quoted by Bulgarian National Radio (BNR).
Petrov said that 8800 Bulgarian citizens were denied permission to leave the county. Most of them were stopped at the Bulgarian-Serbian border.
More than 2000 kg of drugs destined for Western Europe were seized at Bulgaria's border checkpoints.
Bulgaria's border police utilised 36 million euro of EU pre-accession funds since 1999 under joint projects with German police, Petrov said. EU's PHARE programme would provide 52 million euro for the strengthening of the Bulgarian borders.
