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Russia's FSB busts clandestine gun traffickers in nationwide raid

The operation of five illegal workshops manufacturing and modernizing weapons with specialized equipment was shut down

© Vitaliy Nevar/TASS

MOSCOW, March 13. /TASS/. Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) in cooperation with the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs detained a group of clandestine gunmakers, who operated in 14 Russian regions, the FSB Public Relations Center told TASS.

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"The Russian FSB in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs foiled the activity of a criminal gang involved in manufacturing weapons, modernizing arms available for civilian purchase into their military counterparts and their distribution in various regions across the country," the Public Relations Center reported, emphasizing that the mastermind behind this criminal enterprise was taken into custody along with his accomplices in 14 Russian regions.

The FSB raided the criminal group’s residences and workplaces to seize 95 domestic and foreign-made weapons: a submachine gun, 19 carbines and rifles, 41 pistols and revolvers, 34 homemade firearms and more than 500 spare parts to manufacture them, silencers, and more than 3,500 rounds of ammunition for various weapons. "The operation of five illegal workshops manufacturing and modernizing weapons with specialized equipment was shut down," the center stressed.

Detectives from the FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs are currently considering initiating criminal cases under articles 222 and 223 of the Russian Criminal Code ("Illegal Acquisition, Transfer, Sale, Storage, Transportation, or Bearing of Firearms" and "Illegal Manufacture of Weapons").

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