The Kyiv police successfully eliminated the arms and explosives sales channel, detaining three people involved in illegal trade. As a result of the conducted searches, a significant amount of dangerous goods for the total amount of about 1.7 million hryvnias was seized.
This is reported by the National Police of Ukraine.
It is noted that the three accomplices have established a "business" for the illegal sale of automatic weapons, explosives and cartridges of various calibers. Weapons were sold in the capital only during personal meetings, and were hidden in the territory of the Kyiv region. The perpetrators face up to seven years in prison.
According to the head of the department, Vadym Kolomiets, three residents of the Kyiv region, aged from 36 to 41, are involved in this crime:
One of the defendants, through his acquaintances, was looking for "clients" from different regions of the country who intended to purchase weapons and ammunition. Later, the buyer came to Kyiv, where the persons involved sold him the selected "goods" during personal meetings for cash,
It was established that, for the sake of the conspiracy, the plotters hid an illegal arsenal in the homesteads and garages of their relatives and acquaintances who live in the Kyiv region, and sold it in the capital. Therefore, during the searches, more than 16,000 cartridges of various calibers, 132 grenade launcher shots, 69 grenades, 2 anti-tank mines, 4 reactive anti-tank grenades, 2 automatic weapons, 1 machine gun and 5 kg of artillery powder were seized. According to the prices of the "black" market, the value of the seized item is almost UAH 1.7 million.
The investigators informed one of the perpetrators of the suspicion under part 1 of Art. 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – illegal handling of weapons, ammunition or explosives. At present, the issue of notification of suspicion to other involved parties is being resolved. According to the sanction of the article, they face up to seven years of imprisonment for what they have committed. The police continue to carry out measures to establish the origin of weapons and ammunition, as well as possible accomplices of the detainees.
