A man has been charged with violations of two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, facing a lengthy prison sentence.
The operation to uncover and halt the criminal activities was carried out by the Strategic Investigations Department of the National Police of Ukraine in the Odessa region, in collaboration with the Security Service of Ukraine.
According to law enforcement, the 42-year-old man set up a workshop in his garage for weapon modification. He ordered firearm replicas and parts online, then used specialized tools to modify these replicas into functional firearms, which he sold in the Odessa area.
The police documented a sale of modified firearms for 39,000 hryvnias. With the support of the KORD special police unit, they apprehended the suspect while he was sending another 'shipment' to a buyer.
Investigators conducted a total of 10 searches in the suspect's vehicle, residence, workplace, and garages. They seized various items resembling weapon replicas and parts, bullets, cartridges, magazines for different types of firearms, and equipment used for manufacturing and modifying weapons, all of which were sent for expert examination.
They also confiscated cash in foreign and national currency, which the suspect likely obtained from weapon sales. The police will clarify their origin during the investigation.
Currently, investigators have charged the suspect with illegal modification of firearms (part 1 of article 263-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) and illegal possession and sale of firearms without a permit (part 1 of article 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The court has chosen a preventive measure of detention with the right to post bail of 908,400 hryvnias.
The maximum penalty the suspect faces is seven years of imprisonment.
Investigative actions are ongoing. The Kyiv regional prosecutor's office in Odessa is overseeing the case.
