Belarusian arrested in Bulgaria for exporting dual-use goods to Russia

Twelve people, including a Belarusian citizen, have been detained in Bulgaria on charges of exporting dual-use goods and technologies to Russia, writes Reform.by. The export of such goods violates sanctions imposed in connection with the war in Ukraine.

According to the Bulgarian State Agency for National Security, the Russian troops used these goods for combat operations in Ukraine.

The Plovdiv district prosecutor's office said that the group had been operating since 2022. One of the organizers registered a company in Plovdiv. The company bought telescopic sights, ballistic calculators, aviation radios and other goods worth about 4 million leva (about 2.17 million dollars). The entire shipment was stored in a residential building, where the goods were repackaged and prepared for export to Russia.

Most of the detainees are Bulgarian citizens. There are five foreigners - three Russian citizens, one Albanian and one Belarusian.

"The arrest of the five detainees took place at Sofia Airport as they were trying to leave the country with Russia as their final destination. The five detained foreigners have been charged," the GANB said.

The Bulgarian intelligence service also said that the group operated in Britain, Switzerland, Serbia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and other countries.