Bulgarian law enforcement has launched sweeping raids against prominent local arms dealers following a request from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine. While the initial focus appeared to be on price inflation and corruption in weapons sales to Ukraine, emerging reports suggest the investigation may also probe illicit arms transfers to russia, a far graver accusation.
Acting Interior Ministry Secretary General Miroslav Rashkov confirmed the searches, noting that no arrests have yet been made. He said the Bulgarian operations stem from Ukrainian request tied to an ongoing case involving inflated weapons prices. However, national broadcaster BNT News reported that suspicions of violating international sanctions and supplying arms to Moscow have become part of the inquiry.
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One key target is Sage Consultants AD, one of Bulgaria's largest arms traders. The firm is linked to businessmen Gencho and Hristo Hristov, about whom little is publicly known beyond Hristo Hristov's 2019 purchase of a luxury apartment in Beverly Hills. The company's dealings, however, are drawing intense scrutiny.
Earlier this year, Bulgarian national Petar Mirchev was arrested in Spain at the request of the U.S. authorities for allegedly supplying weapons to Mexican cartel. The arms in question were reportedly sourced from a company tied to the Hristovs. Planned sales allegedly included anti-tank systems and drones, battlefield-proven technologies whose transfer to criminal organizations raises significant security concerns.
Investigators now face the possibility that the same supply channels could have been exploited to serve russia's war effort. Analysts warn that Moscow has actively tapped black and grey markets to replace lost materiel, bypass sanctions, and sustain front-line operations. Disrupting such pipelines in Europe would represent a strategic gain for Ukraine and its allies.
The Bulgarian defense industry's Soviet-standard production capacity makes it a valuable source of arms for Ukraine. Its exports have featured regularly in the arsenal of Ukrainian defense forces. This, combined with the country's geographic position and manufacturing base, places Bulgaria at a sensitive nexus in the arms trade, both legitimate and illicit.
For now, authorities in Sofia remain tight-lipped as the investigation unfolds. The raids could uncover critical evidence about cross-border trafficking networks, but they also hint at a larger, murkier picture of how modern conflicts intertwine with organized crime.
This story is still developing, and further disclosures could shift its scope from a national corruption scandal to a major international security case.
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