MOSCOW, July 21. /TASS/. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has stopped activities of an interregional organized criminal group involved in the organization of channels of supplies of weapons from the European Union counties and Ukraine to Russia, FSB reported on Tuesday.
The FSB Public Relations Center told TASS that "some organizers of the criminal business, including an Azerbaijani citizen with previous conviction, were detained red-handed in Smolensk in July when trying to sell another batch of weapons. Also, 14 active members of the criminal group, three of which are current police officers, were simultaneously detained in 12 regions of the country."
To conceal criminal activity, the criminal group members used fake identity documents and car number plates. "The FSB officers seized in a special operation more than 150 firearms of foreign and Russian make — a Kalashnikov machine gun, Kalashnikov assault rifles, machine pistols, carbines, rifles (M-16, M-4, G-3) pistols (Glock, CZ, Desert Eagle, Beretta) and revolvers, including with silencers, a grenade launcher, grenades, the main parts and components for making more than 200 types weapons, more than 2,500 munitions of various calibre, more than 10 kg of explosives and detonators," the FSB reported.
According to the report, four shops for the production and modernization of weapons, as well as 2 ammunition workshops have been liquidated in the special operation.
The investigation departments of the FSB and Russian Interior Ministry have opened criminal cases. The weapons were taken for technical and ballistics expert examination. Opening of additional cases over "weapons smuggling" under Article 226.1 of the Russian Criminal Code is being considered. Additional special investigation activities are currently underway to establish possible involvement of the criminal group members in other serious and extremely serious crimes in the territory of Russia.