Cocaine Found in Car of Kremlin-Linked Russian Metropolitan Hilarion, Czech Police Confirm

A forensic examination by Czech police has confirmed that a white powder previously discovered inside the vehicle of Russian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Hilarion was cocaine, Deník N reported on June 3.

The vehicle was stopped by law enforcement last week on a highway near Prague following an anonymous tip. At the time of the stop, Hilarion and his driver were traveling from Karlovy Vary toward Budapest, where the Metropolitan maintains a residence. During the roadside search, officers discovered three bags of the white powder, which was subsequently sent for expert forensic analysis.

Following the initial vehicle search, the clergyman spent two days in police custody before being released. He has since departed the Czech Republic and is currently located in Moscow, according to Deník N.

From the Russian capital, Hilarion addressed the media reports surrounding the incident, stating that the press is “groundlessly linking” him to the activities of Russian intelligence services.

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War in Ukraine

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Deník N reports that, in the wake of the high-profile drug scandal, the Russian Orthodox Church has already decided to transfer the Metropolitan to another place of service outside of Europe.

The development follows a recent report indicating that the European Union was preparing its 21st sanctions package, which could target senior figures of the Russian Orthodox Church, including Patriarch Kirill.

These proposed restrictions, previously blocked by Hungary, are being reconsidered following recent political shifts in Budapest, aiming to increase pressure on the church’s leadership for its support of the invasion of Ukraine.

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