Kintex (Bulgaria)
Encyclopedia
Kintex is a Bulgaria
n state-owned company, founded in Sofia
, Bulgaria
, in 1965.
Until 1992 essentially an arm of the Bulgarian Communist Party
's secret service, the Committee for State Security
, Kintex was an import-export corporation, which controlled the sale of everything from cigarettes to heavy weapons. Kintex was responsible for selling weapons to smugglers and terrorists, with both right wing and left wing political sympathies, in Turkey
,
in the 1970s.
and Burgas
. They were shipped aboard Bulgarian or foreign ships. Kintex realized an annual revenue from smuggling goods of between $5 million and $15 million. In the first years money was transported in suitcases. Following 1985 payments were made via transborder companies which were established by Bulgarian state security and the foreign trade ministry, usually in offshore
zones. These entities were shielded by local citizens who were agents of the secret police.
Boulevard, 1407 Sofia. For more than four decades the business has been making contracts to supply technical military production, armament, and ammunition. It has carried out engineering projects in Africa
, Asia
, and the Middle East
.
In 1992 Kintex was changed to a company governed by commercial law
, which limited its shares. Commercial law became effective in Bulgaria in 1992. All of its shares are owned by the state. Kintex is licensed to export, import, and re-export products for the Bulgarian Army and police.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n state-owned company, founded in Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, in 1965.
Until 1992 essentially an arm of the Bulgarian Communist Party
Bulgarian Communist Party
The Bulgarian Communist Party was the communist and Marxist-Leninist ruling party of the People's Republic of Bulgaria from 1946 until 1990 when the country ceased to be a communist state...
's secret service, the Committee for State Security
Committee for State Security
The Committee for State Security , popularly known as State Security was the name of the Bulgarian secret service during the Communist rule of Bulgaria and the Cold War ....
, Kintex was an import-export corporation, which controlled the sale of everything from cigarettes to heavy weapons. Kintex was responsible for selling weapons to smugglers and terrorists, with both right wing and left wing political sympathies, in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
,
in the 1970s.
Smuggler of contraband
The first large export of weapons from Bulgaria was to Algeria in 1961–1962. Kintex maintained three bases in Sofia to load smuggled goods. These shipments were conveyed by sea to Turkey, traveling through the ports of VarnaVarna
Varna is the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and third-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv, with a population of 334,870 inhabitants according to Census 2011...
and Burgas
Burgas
-History:During the rule of the Ancient Romans, near Burgas, Debeltum was established as a military colony for veterans by Vespasian. In the Middle Ages, a small fortress called Pyrgos was erected where Burgas is today and was most probably used as a watchtower...
. They were shipped aboard Bulgarian or foreign ships. Kintex realized an annual revenue from smuggling goods of between $5 million and $15 million. In the first years money was transported in suitcases. Following 1985 payments were made via transborder companies which were established by Bulgarian state security and the foreign trade ministry, usually in offshore
Offshoring
Offshoring describes the relocation by a company of a business process from one country to another—typically an operational process, such as manufacturing, or supporting processes, such as accounting. Even state governments employ offshoring...
zones. These entities were shielded by local citizens who were agents of the secret police.
Post communist era
Currently Kintex is located at 66, James BourchierJames David Bourchier
James David Bourchier was an Irish journalist and political activist. He worked for The Times as the newspaper's Balkan correspondent. He lived in Sofia from 1892 to 1915. Bourchier was an honourable member of the Sofia Journalists' Society and a trusted advisor of Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria...
Boulevard, 1407 Sofia. For more than four decades the business has been making contracts to supply technical military production, armament, and ammunition. It has carried out engineering projects in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
.
In 1992 Kintex was changed to a company governed by commercial law
Commercial law
Commercial law is the body of law that governs business and commercial transactions...
, which limited its shares. Commercial law became effective in Bulgaria in 1992. All of its shares are owned by the state. Kintex is licensed to export, import, and re-export products for the Bulgarian Army and police.