In the spa town of Karlovy Vary, police found cocaine in the car of Russian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Hilarion. Despite official confirmation by an expert, he left the territory of the European Union and is currently in Moscow. The investigation by Czech law enforcement is ongoing.
- On 24 May, police in Karlovy Vary found cocaine in Metropolitan Hilarion's car.
- The examination confirmed that the seized substance was cocaine.
- Hilarion denied the accusations and called the incident a provocation.
- The Metropolitan left the EU and is now in Moscow.
Detention of Metropolitan Hilarion in Karlovy Vary
On 24 May, police stopped the Metropolitan's car in Karlovy Vary Ilariona (Alfeyev), former head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. During the search, law enforcement officers found several sachets with a white substance, which was later identified as cocaine.
The Metropolitan categorically denied all allegations, calling the incident a planned provocation, and demanded an independent investigation. An official forensic examination confirmed the presence of cocaine in the seized sachets.
The Metropolitan's flight to Moscow and further actions
After his detention, Metropolitan Hilarion was released without formal charges pending the investigation. He did not wait for the investigation to be completed and left the territory of the European Union, currently residing in Moscow. The Czech Republic continues to investigate the case.
Previous scandals around Hilarion
Hilarion has repeatedly been in the media spotlight due to a number of high-profile cases. His former monk George Suzuki accused the Metropolitan of sexual harassment. In addition, journalists discovered that Hilarion owned an elite villa in Hungary worth more than a million euros.
In addition, the Metropolitan is known for his eccentric statements, including his belief in aliens and extraterrestrial civilisations, which caused an additional public outcry.
The significance of the incident for the reputation of the Russian Orthodox Church
This drug scandal is a blow to the image of the Moscow Patriarchate, especially against the background of previous scandals involving Metropolitan Hilarion. Attempts to avoid responsibility and flight to Russia may affect the ROC's future relations with Western countries and internal processes in the church.
The investigation in the Czech Republic is ongoing, and the international community is closely following the developments around this high-profile case.
