Arms traders in Russian regions detained over weapons smuggling from EU – FSB

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Monday that it had carried out a joint operation with the Interior Ministry to curb arms smuggling to Russia from European Union member states. According to an FSB statement, a criminal group consisting of people from different regions of Russia had organized illegal arms deliveries to the country. During the operation, 380 domestic- and foreign-produced firearms (25 machine guns, 30 assault rifles, 70 submachine guns, 94 carbines and rifles, 158 pistols and revolvers, two anti-tank guns) were confiscated, the FSB said. The weapons seized also included a 45mm infantry mortar, AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher, an improvised explosive device, 15 hand grenades, and more than 4,500 rounds of ammunition for the weapons, Sputnik reports. The authorities have also shut down two workshops that produced and repaired weapons and arrested the members of the group in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yaroslavl, RIA Novosti reported.