Ukrainian police crack down on massive arms trafficking ring
The Ukrainian police announced they conducted 700 searches and arrested 22 individuals as part of an investigation into illegal arms and ammunition trafficking.
"The suspects had thousands of rounds of various calibers, assault rifles, grenades, machine guns, and grenade launchers confiscated," the police stated.
This is part of a broader operation against a network of arms dealers who obtained weapons from Russian soldiers on the battlefield. In video footage released by law enforcement, officers can be seen forcing open doors and securing ammunition and cash.
The statement noted that the suspects face up to seven years in prison.
In September of last year in Kyiv, weapons and explosives worth over $39,500 were confiscated. The previous month, suspects were arrested in western Ukraine for arms trafficking, resulting in the confiscation of 20 assault rifles, over 70 pistols, dozens of grenades, and nearly 49,000 rounds of ammunition.
