Law enforcers nab 15 illegal arms dealers in single raid across four regions

Law enforcers nab 15 illegal arms dealers in single raid across four regions

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Ukrinform
The Security Service and National Police ran a special operation to expose the illegal sale of trophy firearms and ammunition in four regions.

This was reported by the SBU, Ukrinform saw.

As a result of the special raid, 15 suspects who were attempting to set up the illegal sale of weapons were detained almost simultaneously within one day.

Among the items seized were Russian Kalashnikov assault rifles with a Vohnyshche underbarrel grenade launcher, a batch of fragmentation grenades and explosives.

A 31-year-old local resident and four accomplices were detained in Kyiv region over trading in "trophy" weapons taken from combat areas on on the Eastern Front.

Read also: Ukrainians declare 2,500 firearms as part of national campaign

After transporting the stock to Kyiv region, the dealers restored the weapons for further sale through connections in criminal circles.

Two more criminal groups were neutralized in Kyiv region as they had been trying to sell a Kalashnikov automatic rifle, an RPG-7V grenade launcher, and ammunition of various calibers.

In Odesa, another dealer was caught “red-handed” while seeking to sell improvised explosive devices and combat grenades.

At the scene, almost 1 kg of TNT, homemade explosives, and a batch of F-1 and RGD grenades were seized from the suspect.

In Chernihiv, law enforcers detained three members of the criminal group who had been looking for customers to sell them automatic weapons and explosives.

In Lutsk, a local resident was caught trying to sell combat grenades to local criminals, demanding payment via anonymous transfers so as not to leave traces.

On charges of illegal firearm handling, the perpetrators are facing up to seven years in prison.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, in December, the SBU detained in Smila an army deserter who is believed to have been illegally selling weapons and ammunition.

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