Ukrainian Security Service and National Police carried out an operation that uncovered illegal arms trading across four regions of Ukraine.
This was reported by the SBU press service.
As a result of the operation, 15 individuals were apprehended within a day for attempting to establish illegal sales of military weapons. Among the seized items were Kalashnikov rifles with grenade launchers, a stock of grenades, and explosives.
In Odesa, an individual was caught red-handed trying to sell homemade explosives and military grenades. Authorities confiscated nearly 1 kg of TNT and various explosive devices from him.
In the Kyiv region, a 31-year-old local resident and four of his accomplices were arrested for trading “trophy” weapons that had been taken from former combat zones.
After bringing the arsenals to the capital, the suspects restored the combat capabilities of the weapons for sale through personal connections in criminal circles.
Additionally, two criminal groups in Kyiv were neutralized while attempting to sell a Kalashnikov machine gun and RPG-7V anti-tank grenade launchers with ammunition.
In Chernihiv, law enforcement apprehended three members of a criminal group who were seeking clients for the sale of automatic weapons and explosives.
In Lutsk, a local resident was caught attempting to sell military grenades. He planned to cover his tracks by demanding payment through “anonymous” payment systems. The arrested individuals have been charged under Article 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal handling of firearms, ammunition, or explosives). They face up to 7 years in prison.
