Law enforcement officers detained 9 people who were trying to organize illegal weapons sales in Ukraine
The Security Service of Ukraine, the State Bureau of Investigation and the National Police jointly prevented new attempts to organize the illegal sale of weapons and ammunition in the country. As a result of the operational measures taken, law enforcement officers detained nine people involved in the illegal trafficking of weapons that were illegally exported from frontline areas and combat zones.
During the searches, Russian grenade launchers, Kalashnikov assault rifles and large-caliber ammunition for small arms were seized from the attackers.
Four people were detained in the Dnipropetrovsk region who were trying to illegally sell an arsenal of automatic weapons and combat grenades. Four more arms dealers were exposed in the Odessa region, including a 33-year-old man who is in a pre-trial detention center for drug trafficking. According to the investigation, he organized the sale of “trophy” grenade launchers through an accomplice at large.
A 23-year-old repeat offender from the Podilskyi district of the Odessa region was also caught, who had previously been arrested for theft, and this time tried to sell a batch of Russian grenades. In addition, law enforcement officers detained a 46-year-old native of Volyn who was trying to sell an assault rifle, grenades, and live ammunition brought from the Kherson region.
In the Zhytomyr region, the SBU and the State Bureau of Investigation detained a 42-year-old contract soldier who offered customers to take an arsenal of ammunition out of a military unit for money.
All those involved in the cases were notified of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – illegal handling of weapons, ammunition, or explosives. They are in custody and could face up to seven years in prison.
The operation was conducted by SBU officers in Dnipropetrovsk, Odessa, and Zhytomyr regions, together with the National Police and the State Bureau of Investigation, under the procedural guidance of the Dnipropetrovsk District, Odessa Regional, and Zhytomyr Specialized Prosecutor’s Offices in the Defense Sector of the Central Region.
