Last Suspect in Major Arms Trafficking Case Captured
Michael Katungi Mpweire, a 45-year-old Ugandan, has recently appeared in a U.S. court following his extradition, marking a significant development in a large-scale arms trafficking investigation linked to Morocco. Mpweire was the last suspect sought in this extensive case, which has drawn international attention due to its connections with a powerful Mexican cartel. On October 8, 2026, he faced charges in a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, for his alleged involvement in supplying military-grade weapons and supporting a terrorist organization.
The culmination of a meticulous manhunt, Mpweire’s extradition from Uganda represents a pivotal moment in a collaborative international investigation, significantly aided by Moroccan security services. The authorities in Morocco played a crucial role in this operation, which has been ongoing for several years and involved several arrests across different countries.
Details of the Arms Trafficking Network
The investigation took a critical turn in April 2025 when Kenyan suspect Elisha Odhiambo Asumo was arrested in Casablanca, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Directorate General of National Security (DGSN) and the Directorate General of Territorial Surveillance (DGST) in coordination with U.S. authorities. Following his arrest, Asumo was extradited to the United States in March 2026. Other suspects include Bulgarian Peter Dimitrov Mirchev, arrested in Madrid, and Tanzanian Subiro Osmund Mwapinga, apprehended in Ghana, with Mpweire being the last to evade U.S. prosecution until now.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the suspects allegedly conspired to provide military weapons to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of Mexico's most notorious criminal organizations, since September 2022. The network is accused of utilizing forged destination certificates to facilitate the shipment of 50 AK-47 assault rifles from Bulgaria, with plans that extended far beyond this initial shipment. Their ambitions included a staggering arsenal valued at $58 million, featuring machine guns, rocket launchers, anti-personnel mines, anti-aircraft drones, and surface-to-air missiles.
Two of the suspects, Asumo from Kenya and Mwapinga from Tanzania, have already pleaded guilty to cocaine trafficking conspiracy charges in July and September 2026, respectively, and are currently awaiting sentencing. Mpweire faces a minimum sentence of ten years in prison, with the possibility of life imprisonment if convicted. The U.S. federal prosecutor's office expressed gratitude to Moroccan authorities for their assistance in facilitating this investigation and the subsequent international extraditions, highlighting the importance of international cooperation in combating transnational crime.
As reported by bladi.net.
