A group that tried to sell one of the largest batches of "trophy" weapons since the war began has been exposed
Kyiv • UNN
Law enforcement officers exposed a criminal group that tried to sell a large batch of trophy weapons. 75 firearms, almost 13,000 rounds of ammunition, and 38 grenades were seized from illegal circulation.
Law enforcement officers have exposed a criminal group that attempted to sell one of the largest batches of "trophy" weapons since the full-scale war began. This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General and the SBU, writes UNN.
Under the procedural guidance of the Kyiv Regional Prosecutor's Office, the activities of an organized group that established an interregional illegal arms market have been stopped. Weapons and ammunition were sold in various regions, and some were reprocessed in underground workshops.
As part of the pre-trial investigation, 19 authorized searches were conducted in Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions, as well as four stages of controlled operational purchases.
75 units of firearms, almost 13,000 rounds of ammunition, 38 grenades, 21 initiation devices, two grenade launchers, as well as cash - over UAH 450,000 and USD 11,000 - were seized from illegal circulation.
It was established that the group members set up underground workshops at their places of residence, where they completed and prepared weapons for further sale. Equipment, draft records, bank cards, mobile phones, and vehicles were also seized.
After restoring the combat properties of the weapons, the perpetrators found clients for sale. These turned out to be representatives of local criminal circles who could use the weapons to commit crimes.
Law enforcement officers exposed the group members at the stage of preparing to sell the means of destruction. During the control of the crime, law enforcement officers caught everyone "red-handed" during the transfer of combat samples.
Five people were detained under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. Three were notified of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 28, Part 1 of Article 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, and three more under Part 1 of Article 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. A motion was sent to the court to choose pre-trial detention as a preventive measure.
The issue of additional qualification of the actions of the defendants is being resolved.
The perpetrators are in custody. They face up to 7 years in prison.