The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Russian Guard, stopped the activities of clandestine gunsmiths in 12 regions of the country. The FSB Public Relations Center reports.

The special operation was carried out in Moscow, Moscow region, Dagestan, Karachay-Cherkessia, Chechnya, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Amur, Voronezh, Lipetsk, Irkutsk, Rostov and Kemerovo regions.

“The activities of 42 persons involved in the modernization of civilian weapons into military analogs, the manufacture of ammunition in underground workshops and their sale in various regions of the country were suppressed,” the statement said.

Operative search measures and investigative actions were carried out at the addresses of the illegal gunsmiths. As a result, officers of the special services seized 179 units of firearms, both military and civilian, with restored combat properties. 

Among them were the PKM machine gun, as well as the AK-74, AKMS, AKS-74U assault rifles. In addition, the following rifles and carbines were seized: Mosin, SVT, SKS, SVD, Saiga, Tigr, Mauser, AR-15, M-16, AUG, GM-15, POF, Barret. Among the weapons found were machine guns and pistols, in particular PPSh, PPS, "Kedr", MP-40, SA, MP-5, as well as pistols and revolvers TT, PM, APS, Korovin, Grand Power, Glock, Colt, Mauser, Parabellum, Walther, Luger, Beretta, Norinco, Taurus, Nagant.

In addition to firearms, FSB officers seized 17 F-1, RGD-5, RGO, RGN hand grenades, about 15 kg of explosives (gunpowder, TNT), 110 detonators of various modifications, over 80 thousand cartridges of various calibers, a large number of main parts and weapon components (barrels, drums, bolts, firing mechanisms).

  • Detention of members of a criminal group involved in illegal arms trafficking. Freeze frame from video provided by the FSB
  • © FSB RF / RIA Novosti

"The activities of 22 clandestine workshops for the modernization of weapons and the manufacture of cartridges, equipped with specialized equipment, including 3D printers and CNC machines, have been suppressed," the FSB explained.

The special service informed about the necessary investigative actions, the appointment of forensic examinations, as well as the adoption of procedural decisions.

“Measures to identify and suppress illegal activities related to the illegal manufacture and sale of weapons are continuing,” the RF Federal Security Service concluded.

Since the beginning of 2020, the FSB has carried out a number of special operations in Russia to suppress the activities of clandestine weapons workshops.

So, in February, a network of clandestine gunsmiths was disclosed in 19 regions.

In March, law enforcement officers detained members of a criminal group consisting of residents of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic and the Stavropol Territory. They modernized civilian weapons into military counterparts for the purpose of their subsequent sale.

In May, the FSB interrupted the activities of 13 clandestine weapons workshops in several regions, seizing 188 firearms, 20 kg of explosives and more than 16 thousand cartridges.

In June, the FSB seized 166 firearms, 32 hand grenades and about 25 kg of explosives, more than 8.5 thousand cartridges from clandestine gunsmiths in 15 regions of the Russian Federation.

Counter-terrorist operations of the FSB

Meanwhile, the Russian special service has repeatedly reported on the prevention of terrorist attacks, the organization of which was planned by supporters of international terrorist organizations in various regions of the Russian Federation.

On July 23, members of the international terrorist organization "Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan" * were detained. The members of the group, being in Moscow, Novosibirsk and the Krasnoyarsk Territory, were engaged in recruiting and transporting people to combat zones, financing militants in Syria, and also called for the commission of terrorist crimes.

On July 27, officers of Russian law enforcement agencies liquidated a member of an international terrorist organization in the Moscow region - while trying to arrest the attacker opened fire on law enforcement officers. The terrorist was found with a Kalashnikov assault rifle, grenades, as well as material evidence of his connection with the MTO emissaries in Syria. As the FSB reported, the militant was preparing to carry out a mass execution of people in Moscow.

On July 29, in St. Petersburg, supporters of the Islamic State ** terrorist group were arrested, who were planning to kill servicemen and law enforcement officers.

* "Islamic Party of Turkestan" (formerly "Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan") - the organization was recognized as terrorist by the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated 02.14.2003.

** "Islamic State" (IS) - the organization was recognized as terrorist by the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of December 29, 2014.