Overview
- Police stopped the vehicle carrying Metropolitan Hilarion on Sunday, May 24 and officers say four small containers with a white substance were found in the trunk during a search.
- Czech authorities have detained two people in connection with the case but have not filed charges and say expert analysis will determine the composition of the seized material.
- Hilarion has denied any link to illegal drugs, called the incident a provocation, and his defence says officers did not give clear reasons for the stop nor allow him to witness the search.
- The defence is demanding access to video footage and independent forensic testing including fingerprint and DNA checks while the Russian embassy is providing consular support.
- The case has wider implications because Hilarion is a former senior Moscow Patriarchate figure who was removed from key posts in 2022 and 2024, and Moscow’s strong response could strain Czech–Russian relations.