Conviction of Arms Brokers in UK Court
Two men have been convicted in a UK court for operating an arms brokering scheme that attempted to send weapons—including fighter jets and surface-to-air missile systems—to conflict zones.
David Greenhalgh, aged 68, and Christos Farmakis, aged 48, were found guilty of brokering arms supplies from Eastern European countries to destinations such as Sudan, South Sudan, Libya, Iraq, and Iran.
Both defendants were convicted on eight counts of illegal arms trafficking at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday.
Greenhalgh, a British national, was convicted of two additional similar offences, while Farmakis, a Greek national who was tried in absentia, was found guilty of one further count.
Details of the Operation and Roles
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) stated that Farmakis, a London-based business advisor, conducted negotiations through a Cyprus-registered company named Black Betty Consulting.
Greenhalgh, from Croydon, owned and controlled the 'Airservices' group of companies, which operated internationally, including in the UK, Greece, Macedonia, Hong Kong, and South Sudan. The CPS noted that Greenhalgh used this overseas network to conceal his transactions from UK authorities.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) emphasized that although the deals took place outside UK jurisdiction, Greenhalgh, as a UK national, remained "subject to UK trade controls wherever in the world he did business."
Timeline and Scope of Illegal Arms Deals
Between July 2009 and December 2016, the pair attempted to broker weapons supplies to countries under UK arms embargoes at the time.
HMRC reported that buyers from the intended destinations were "desperate for equipment" and willing to pay significantly inflated prices.
Some transactions involved sums reaching tens of millions of dollars, according to HMRC.
Greenhalgh and Farmakis sourced weapons from countries including Ukraine, Belarus, Serbia, and the Czech Republic.
The arsenal included surface-to-air missile systems capable of downing aircraft, combat helicopter gunships, battle tanks, anti-tank missile launchers, rocket-propelled grenades, and fighter jets.
Evidence from Communications
Emails revealed that Greenhalgh discussed a proposed deal to supply 100,000 AK-47 rifles to South Sudan. He noted:
"Iraq/Syria is hoovering up every piece of small arms in market"
and warned a contact:
"Europe WILL NOT accept your paperwork. You will need support from other Brothers."
Correspondence between the two men also included discussions about forging documents and routing shipments through third countries to conceal the weapons’ ultimate destinations.
Official Statements and Sentencing
Edwige Hill, Deputy Director in HMRC's Fraud Investigation Service, stated:
"The two men showed a blatant disregard for international sanctions, seeking to profit from the illegal supply of weapons."
She added that the convictions serve as:
"a clear warning to others trying to send supplies to sanctioned or embargoed destinations."
Anja Hohmeyer, Specialist Prosecutor from the CPS, commented:
"The agency will not hesitate to prosecute those who seek to profit from conflict."
Greenhalgh and Farmakis are scheduled to be sentenced on 22 July.
