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FSB sweep nets nearly 100 clandestine gunmakers in Russia

As a result, 385 Russian-and foreign-made firearms were seized

MOSCOW, May 31. /TASS/. In a nationwide sweep covering 25 regions, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has smoked out nearly 100 clandestine gunmakers, seizing 385 weapons, the FSB Public Relations Center informed TASS on Monday.

"In cooperation with the Russian Interior Ministry and the National Guard, the Federal Security Service foiled the activity of 96 residents of 25 Russian regions involved in restoring the combat properties of civilian weapons and their sale in clandestine workshops," the center said. As a result, 385 Russian-and foreign-made firearms were seized, and the activity of 29 clandestine workshops involved in modernizing weapons and producing munitions was shut down.

Among the weapons confiscated were three machine guns, 45 automatic rifles (AK-103s, AKMs, AK-47s, AK-74s, AKS-74Us, AKMSs), nine submachine guns, 240 pistols and revolvers, 88 carbines, rifles and shotguns, as well as seven improvised explosive devices, 21 artillery shells, 18 hand grenades (F-1, RGD-5, RG-33, RGO), over 93,000 bullets of various calibers, over 30 kilograms of explosives (gunpowder, TNT), weapons components, and 36 silencers. "The work on pinpointing and foiling the illegal activity related to the unlawful production, redesign and sale of weapons carries on," the FSB stated.

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