The Rusian Citizen Detained at Sofia's Airport on Interpol Red Notice Llinked to Beirut Blast that Killed over 200

Igor Grechushkin, circulated as wanted by Lebanon with an Interpol “Red Notice,” was detained at Sofia Airport. Grechushkin is the Russian owner of the ship carrying ammonium nitrate linked to the massive Beirut port explosion, which claimed over 200 lives and injured more than 6,000. Lebanon will request his extradition from Bulgaria.

Cypriot Citizen Wanted on Interpol Red Notice Detained at Sofia Airport

Igor Grechushkin arrived at Sofia Airport on 5 September on a flight from Paphos, Cyprus.

Zdravko Samuilov, Head of the Border Checkpoint at “Vasil Levski” Airport – Sofia:
“At around 1:00 a.m., during border checks of passengers arriving on this flight, a 48-year-old Cypriot citizen was identified. A database check revealed an Interpol alert for him, issued as a ‘Red Notice’.”

The Man Detained at Sofia's Airport on Interpol Red Notice Was Wanted by Lebanese Judicial Authorities

Border police officers informed Grechushkin that he was wanted by Lebanon and had to be detained.

Zdravko Samuilov:
“He requested to speak with a lawyer before the administrative detention could proceed. Once he consulted with his lawyer, he fully cooperated with our actions.”

The arrest warrant for Igor Grechushkin, who holds both Russian and Cypriot citizenship, was issued by a Lebanese investigative judge in 2020. He is identified as the Russian owner of the ammonium nitrate ship, during the unloading of which the devastating Beirut port explosion occurred on 4 August 2020. The blast killed over 210 people, injured more than 6,000, and destroyed a large part of the Lebanese capital. Grechushkin claimed he was visiting Bulgaria for tourism.

Zdravko Samuilov:
“This is according to what he stated during the interview.”

A search of his luggage revealed nothing suspicious. At the request of the prosecution, the Sofia City Court ordered Grechushkin’s temporary detention for up to 40 days. Lebanon is expected to submit the documents requesting his extradition, after which the court will decide whether there are grounds to hand him over to the judicial authorities in Beirut. According to sources, if extradition is denied, a Lebanese investigative judge is prepared to question Grechushkin in Bulgaria.

In connection with the explosion, Lebanon has also issued an international warrant for the ship’s captain, Boris Prokoshev, who is also a Russian citizen. Prokoshev has not entered Bulgarian territory, according to our sources.