From Allafrica · · 1m 30s
Ugandan National Katungi Appears in U.S. Court
Ugandan national Michael Katungi faces U.S. federal charges over alleged cocaine and arms trafficking plot for Mexican cartels.
In brief
Ugandan national Michael Katungi faces U.S. federal charges over alleged cocaine and arms trafficking plot for Mexican cartels. Ugandan national Michael Katungi appeared in U.S. federal court on October 8, 2026, charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and supply military-grade weapons to Mexican drug cartels…
Ugandan National Katungi Appears in U.S. Court
Ugandan national Michael Katungi appeared in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia on October 8, 2026.
Charges Against Katungi
Katungi faces federal charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to possess firearms, and conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organisation.
Alleged Conspiracy Details
Katungi and three co-defendants allegedly conspired from September 2022 to supply military-grade weapons to Mexican drug cartels, particularly the CJNG.
Weapons Alleged
The weapons allegedly included machine guns, rocket launchers, grenades, sniper rifles, anti-personnel mines, night-vision equipment, and anti-aircraft weapons.
AK-47 Shipment Alleged
U.S. prosecutors allege the group arranged for 50 automatic AK-47 rifles with magazines and ammunition to be exported from Bulgaria using a Tanzania-end user certificate.
CJNG Designation
The CJNG was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organisation by the U.S. on February 20, 2025.
Co-defendants' Status
Bulgarian Peter Dimitrov Mirchev was arrested in Madrid on April 8, 2025, and extradited to the U.S.on March 19, 2026.Kenyan Elisha Odhiambo Asumo and Tanzanian Subiro Osmund Mwapinga have pleaded guilty to cocaine conspiracy charges.
What matters most
Ugandan national Michael Katungi appeared in U.S. federal court on October 8, 2026, charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and supply military-grade weapons to Mexican drug cartels.
