Bulgarian Peter Petrov jailed 12 years in UK for smuggling 54 pistols and 764 rounds

Peter Petrov, a 57‑year‑old man from Varna, Bulgaria, was sentenced by Kent Crown Court in the United Kingdom to 12 years’ imprisonment for attempting to import 54 pistols and 764 9 mm cartridges. The firearms, along with a black folding knife and €1,000 in cash, were concealed in the two spare‑tyre compartments of a hired Mercedes Sprinter that Petrov tried to drive into the country on 4 February. Border Force officers at the East Docks checkpoint in Dover detected anomalies during a micro‑bus scan and recovered the weapons – 24 pistols in one tyre and 30 in the other – each fitted with a loaded magazine. Although the pistols were imitations, they were fully functional and lethal.

The case was investigated by the UK National Crime Agency (NCA). Senior NCA investigator Tracy Gason said, “Thanks to the brilliant work of our Border Force colleagues, this batch of lethal weapons and a massive amount of ammunition were stopped before reaching the streets of the United Kingdom.” Petrov did not comment during questioning.

Petrov was found guilty on 10 July and received the 12‑year sentence, reflecting the seriousness of the organized criminal group behind the smuggling attempt.