Czech police release Russian bishop after ‘white powder’ found in his car

Czech police released Russian Orthodox Bishop Hilarion (Grigory Alfeyev) without charge after he was detained in Karlovy Vary on suspicion of drug possession. Officers found containers of a white substance in his car following an anonymous tip. Forensic tests confirmed the substance was a banned narcotic, but Bishop Hilarion stated he was framed and questioned how it ended up in his vehicle. Russia condemned the arrest as a politically motivated "setup" and "deliberate, orchestrated provocation," summoning the Czech chargé d'affaires in Moscow to protest. Bishop Hilarion heads the Russian Orthodox congregation in Karlovy Vary and previously held a significant role in the Russian Orthodox Church's external relations.

Czech police detained Russian Orthodox Bishop Hilarion in Karlovy Vary after discovering four containers of a suspicious white substance in his car. The cleric, whose secular name is Grigory Alfeyev, denied any involvement with illegal substances. His defense team stated that police offered no clear reason for the stop and that the bishop was not permitted to observe the search. The Czech Drug Enforcement Centre acted on an anonymous tip regarding the transport of narcotic and psychotropic substances. Moscow has condemned the detainment as a "provocation" against the Czech government. Police confirmed a man was detained on Sunday evening and interrogations are ongoing, but no charges have been filed.