The Czech police allegedly found drugs in the car of Metropolitan Hilarion following a search in Karlovy Vary, where the Russian hierarch resides.
According to a statement released via his personal social media account by Metropolitan Hilarion’s legal defence on May 24, 2026, the vehicle in which Mr Hilarion was travelling was stopped, and four small containers containing a white substance were found in the luggage compartment, according to claims by the police authorities.
The defence maintains that no clear justification was provided for stopping the vehicle, and questions have been raised about the conduct of the inspection and the safeguarding of the necessary transparency guarantees. They are also calling for the full preservation of any audiovisual material and for the items found to undergo independent laboratory testing.
Metropolitan Hilarion categorically denies any connection to illegal substances and, through his legal team, calls for a full and independent investigation into the matter.
His legal representatives have also raised concerns about how the inspection was conducted. They state that the vehicle was allegedly followed by two police cars before being stopped, and that information was requested from both the driver and the Metropolitan, despite there being no clear prior record of an offence.
Questions have also been raised about the scope of the search, as the defence claims that the inspection focused exclusively on the luggage compartment without searching personal belongings. The defence has requested that all video recordings of the stop and vehicle inspection be preserved, and that a forensic examination of the substance, packaging, and containers be conducted, including DNA and fingerprint analysis.
According to the same source, before the incident, there had been reports of anonymous threats and pressure directed at the Metropolitan and his parish in Karlovy Vary, which are said to be politically motivated.
Statement from Metropolitan Hilarion’s Telegram channel:
Dear brothers and sisters, dear friends,
Metropolitan Hilarion is currently unable to address his subscribers personally. In light of the recent events in Karlovy Vary, we are sharing information from the perspective of the defence.
On May 24, 2026, after leaving the Orthodox Church of the Holy Glorious and All-Praised Apostles Peter and Paul in Karlovy Vary, the vehicle carrying Metropolitan Hilarion and his driver was stopped. According to Metropolitan Hilarion and his defence team, the police did not state any clear reasons for the stop relating to a possible violation of traffic regulations, and proceeded immediately to search the vehicle.
During the search, four small containers containing a white substance were found in the luggage compartment. The composition, origin, and nature of the substance can only be determined through a competent forensic examination.
Metropolitan Hilarion categorically rejects any involvement in the illegal possession of prohibited substances and considers the incident to be a provocation.
‘I have never had, nor do I have, any connection with the illegal trafficking of narcotic substances. As a clergyman, I find the mere suggestion of such a thing entirely false. I insist on a full, independent, and procedurally proper investigation into what happened,’ he said.
The Metropolitan’s lawyer, JUDr. Michal Pacovský stated that the circumstances in which the vehicle was stopped and searched raise serious questions.
According to the lawyer, on the motorway, the vehicle carrying the Metropolitan was effectively stopped by two police patrol cars. As soon as they saw it, the officers began to move, with one car moving in front of the vehicle and the other moving behind it. The defence also notes that the officers immediately requested documents from both the driver and Metropolitan Hilarion, despite no traffic offence having been committed.
‘There must always be a reason for stopping a vehicle, and it is usually communicated. In this case, according to the information we have, no allegation of a traffic regulation violation was made. Most likely, an order had been issued to search this vehicle precisely,’ the lawyer said.
Particular concern is raised by the fact that, according to the defence, Metropolitan Hilarion was taken to a petrol station and was not permitted to witness the search of the vehicle.
‘There should have been witnesses or a video recording. As far as we currently know, neither of these existed. At first assessment, we see clear indications of procedural violations,’ said JUDr Michal Pacovský.
The defence also notes that personal belongings and bags were essentially not searched, while the police focused their attention on the boot from the outset.
‘The officers immediately headed for the luggage compartment, as if they already knew where to look.’ If this was a full vehicle inspection, why were personal items and bags not checked? This is one of the key questions for the defence,” the lawyer stressed.
The defence is demanding that all video recordings related to the vehicle being stopped, its escort, the search, the seizure of items, and subsequent procedural actions be preserved and handed over. They are also requesting an independent forensic examination of the substance, packaging, and containers, as well as fingerprint and DNA analysis. They are also requesting an investigation into who had access to the vehicle prior to it being stopped.
The incident followed a long period of pressure on Metropolitan Hilarion and the Orthodox community in Karlovy Vary. According to Metropolitan Hilarion, he had repeatedly received anonymous threats in recent months, including threats of physical violence, demanding that he leave his place of ministry.
In the defence’s view, these threats were not the result of an ordinary personal dispute. Rather, they were political in nature, with the authors linking Metropolitan Hilarion’s presence in Karlovy Vary to his Russian origin, ecclesiastical status, and ministry at a church under the Moscow Patriarchate.
