Ukrainian law enforcement initiated 1,000 raids across the country on Thursday aimed at halting the illegal trade of firearms and ammunition, according to police reports.
The surge of weapons in the war-torn nation since the Russian invasion began in early 2022 has raised alarms about the smuggling of arms, both within Ukraine and among its allies in the West.
“The primary objective is to dismantle the channels for sales and storage, as well as to confiscate trophy weapons” acquired from Russian troops, along with “ammunition and explosives linked to illegal trafficking,” the national police stated in a post on social media.
The announcement indicated that the leaders of these operations could face sentences of up to seven years in prison, noting that more information about the investigation would be disclosed later.
The police force also released a video showing officers armed to the teeth as they prepared to break down a door, confiscating ammunition and cash.
These raids represent the latest initiatives by law enforcement to eliminate the illegal sale of firearms in the nation.
In September of the previous year, authorities stated that they had disrupted an illegal arms trafficking operation in the Kyiv area, capturing weapons and ammunition valued at around 40,000 euros.
A month prior in the western region of Lviv, police reported having seized assault rifles, over 70 handguns, multiple grenades, and nearly 49,000 rounds of ammunition, according to local news sources.
