Lebanon's public prosecution is preparing an extradition request for Igor Grechushkin, the owner of the Rhosus vessel linked to a stockpile of ammonium nitrate, which detonated at Beirut port on 4 August 2020, killing more than 220 people, injuring over 7,000, and devastating large parts of the capital.
Grechushkin, a 48-year-old Russian-Cypriot citizen, was arrested in Bulgaria on 5 September based on an Interpol red notice requested by Lebanese judicial authorities in 2020.
He was detained at Sofia airport after arriving from Cyprus, Bulgarian media reported. A Sofia city court has confirmed his detention for up to 40 days, during which time Lebanon must submit its extradition request.
The Beirut Bar Association’s legal team for the port blast case said the extradition dossier was being prepared and would include a summary of the case, the charges, and the evidence behind the warrant.
"Once a wanted person enters a country that cooperates with Interpol, that state can arrest him, which is what happened in Bulgaria," lawyer Youssef Lahoud told The New Arab.
He explained that Bulgaria informed Interpol, which then notified Beirut, and it was now up to the Lebanese prosecution to send a properly documented request through the justice minister.
"The file must be precise and include clear evidence, so the Bulgarian authorities can either send him to Lebanon or return him to his home country," Lahoud said.
There is no extradition treaty between Lebanon and Bulgaria, meaning the decision ultimately rests with Bulgarian authorities.
Grechushkin also holds Russian and Cypriot citizenship, raising the possibility that he could be extradited to one of those states instead.
"If he is extradited to Russia, for instance, Moscow could examine the Lebanese request. While states usually do not hand over their nationals, if the file is solid and clear, Russia could prosecute him on its own soil. Otherwise, it could release him," Lahoud said.
Lahoud described the arrest as a routine step but one that could prove crucial if Grechushkin provides new information.
"If he provides new information, it could change the direction of the investigation and expand it. But he may also say nothing of value," he added.
He also pointed out that Lebanon’s investigative judge could, if Grechushkin is not extradited, travel to the country where he is being held to question him.
However, Lahoud noted that this option remains blocked by a previous decision from former prosecutor general Ghassan Oueidat banning current judge Tarek Bitar, who leads the investigation, from travelling abroad.
"Unfortunately, there has been a delay and obstruction in addressing this case within Lebanon’s judiciary," he said.
The Rhosus, a Moldovan-flagged ship owned by Grechushkin, said to have transported 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate from Georgia to Lebanon in 2013.
It was impounded at Beirut port after reporting "technical problems", and the cargo was offloaded into a warehouse where it remained for years despite repeated warnings about the dangers posed by the chemical. The ship sank at the Beirut port in 2018.
The August 2020 explosion was one of the largest non-nuclear blasts ever recorded.
Families of the victims have accused Lebanon's political class of obstructing justice to avoid accountability.
The investigation has been stalled multiple times, with judges removed or blocked from pursuing charges against senior officials. Judge Bitar resumed the probe earlier this year, but has yet to issue an indictment.