UK Court Convicts David Greenhalgh, Christos Farmakis in Major Illegal Arms Trafficking Operation
A UK court has convicted David Greenhalgh, 68, and Christos Farmakis, 48, for their roles in an illicit arms brokering network. The operation, spanning from July 2009 to December 2016, aimed to supply military hardware from Eastern European nations to countries under UK arms embargos, including Sudan, South Sudan, Libya, Iraq, and Iran.
Illegal Arms Trafficking Charges
Both men were found guilty of eight counts of illegal arms trafficking at Southwark Crown Court. Greenhalgh, a British national, received two additional convictions for similar offences, while Farmakis, a Greek national tried in absentia, was convicted of one further charge.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) revealed that Farmakis, a London-based business advisor, conducted negotiations through Black Betty Consulting, a Cyprus-registered entity. Greenhalgh, from Croydon, managed the international 'Airservices' group of companies, utilising its global reach to obscure his dealings from UK authorities.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) clarified that even with deals conducted outside UK jurisdiction, Greenhalgh, as a UK national, remained subject to British trade controls. The intended recipients, described by HMRC as
