The American authorities have officially charged a Bulgarian citizen with participation in an international scheme for illegal arms trafficking, BNT reported. The charge was filed in the state of Virginia, stating that in addition to our compatriot Petar Mirchev, the scheme also involved three African citizens – from Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
The group has offered a list of weapons worth 53 million euros to one of the most powerful and brutal Mexican drug cartels in the world. The offered weapons are from Bulgarian military factories, our team's inspection found.
According to the American authorities, as early as 2022 the Bulgarian, together with three other people from Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, developed a channel for the supply of weapons for military purposes to Mexican drug cartels.
Simeon Gasparov - BNT correspondent in the USA: "In a statement from the Virginia State Prosecutor's Office dated July 30 this year, Bulgarian Petar Dimitrov Mirchev, together with citizens of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, are charged with conspiracy to distribute and traffic drugs, trafficking in weapons and explosive devices."
The investigation claims that Petar Mirchev offered an impressive arsenal to Mexican cartels, including the Jalisco Nueva cartel, which is one of the most violent and dangerous in Mexico and the region.
Simeon Gasparov - BNT correspondent in the USA: "The weapons included assault rifles, grenades, night vision goggles, sniper rifles, mines and assault shells of airplanes."
An advertising brochure is also attached to the covers of the case, which the accused showed to potential clients. It shows the logos of three Bulgarian companies that produce weapons.
Tihomir Bezlov - Center for the Study of Democracy: "There are Colombian cartels that even have submarines, airplanes. Usually the chain starts with completely legal traders, goes through a series of intermediaries and finally ends up in similar criminal contingents."
According to data from the US Department of Justice, Mirchev organized a test shipment of 50 AK-47 assault rifles with false documents for an end user in Tanzania. For this purpose, sales permits were needed, which the Bulgarian participant in the scheme secured with the help of accomplices from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Through connections and bribes in the Tanzanian government, they obtained the necessary documents. The supplier of the weapons is a company in Burgas, which supplies the Tanzanian armed forces with the 50 assault rifles. The Tanzanian permit states that the Bulgarian government must be notified of any subsequent sale of the weapons - however, this does not happen.
Investigators have also detected a bank transfer from a US account to a Bulgarian bank. The account holder was a Bulgarian arms manufacturer associated with Mirchev. In the summer of 2024, 50 Kalashnikov assault rifles and ammunition for them were exported from Bulgaria as a test shipment to the Mexican drug cartel.
A few months later, the Bulgarian made an even more serious offer. According to investigators, Mirchev offered to supply the drug cartels with surface-to-air missiles, drones and an anti-aircraft weapon system that could shoot down helicopters. A list of weapons worth $58 million was also attached to the case. The cartel's arming was intended to increase the security of cocaine supplies destined for the United States.
Simeon Gasparov - BNT correspondent in the United States: "According to American authorities, Mirchev is at the heart of the plan, with the Bulgarian first contacting the Kenyan citizen, who in turn attracted the other citizens of African countries."
According to analysts, Mirchev's name is not accidental in arms trafficking circles and is linked to that of Viktor Bout - the Russian arms dealer, known as the "Merchant of Death", who was released from an American prison almost two years ago in a deal with Moscow for American basketball star Britney Greener.
Tikhomir Bezlov - Center for the Study of Democracy: "Victor Bout and Petar Mirchev are getting to know each other. Mirchev began to provide him with weapons, and Bout used his contacts in Russia to export weapons, including to Afghanistan, to many problematic countries at that time."
Tikhomir Bezlov - Center for the Study of Democracy: "It seems that Petar Mirchev worked for the CIA, and Bout is a former GRU employee. They partnered quite effectively."
Mirchev was arrested in April in Spain and his extradition to the United States is expected.