Seven suspects have been arrested in connection with the gang, which is believed to have sourced high-powered weapons from illegal markets in the Western Balkans and trafficked them into France for onward distribution. The joint operation – supported by Europol and Eurojust – has taken down the full supply chain behind the trafficking route, from source to destination.
The case began in September 2023, when law enforcement from Bosnia and Herzegovina informed Slovenian authorities that a vehicle transporting large quantities of weapons and ammunition was heading towards France. As the vehicle was already in Slovenia on its way to Austria, Slovenian authorities informed Austria. Austrian police stopped the Slovenian-registered vehicle towing a caravan near the Slovenian border. Inside, officers discovered a hidden cache of weapons, including 25 AK-type assault rifles, 126 hand grenades of various types, 25 kg of AK ammunition, 1 machine gun and 1 pisto.
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Source: Europol
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