The Security Service and the National Police have thwarted new attempts to traffic ‘trophy’ weapons and ammunition in Ukraine.

Eight dealers have been detained: they were trading in weapons that had been illegally brought from frontline areas and combat zones.

The items seized include russian Kalashnikov assault rifles, Dzhmil rocket-propelled infantry flamethrowers, Val silent-fire assault rifles, anti-tank grenade launchers, and nearly 20,000 rounds of ammunition.

In Kyiv region, the owner of a car service station and two of his accomplices were detained for attempting to secretly sell weapons smuggled from the frontline areas of eastern Ukraine.

They stored the weapons in caches set up in a garage and a guest house on the territory of private households.

The law enforcement caught the suspects red-handed while selling a combat arsenal, including anti-tank rocket-propelled grenades, an underbarrel grenade launcher, assault rifles, and ammunition.

An anti-tank guided missile, 192-mm grenade launcher rounds in boxes, a rocket-propelled flamethrower, nine small arms, and over 11,500 rounds of ammunition of several calibers were additionally seized during the searches.

In Donetsk region, two mobilized soldiers were caught transporting ‘trophy’ weapons from the front line for sale.

Both suspects were detained in Kramatorsk district while attempting to sell an RPG-22 anti-tank grenade launcher and five russian-made AK-47s.

In Dnipropetrovsk region, two repeat offenders were apprehended. They turned out to be an employee of a local metal stockyard and his acquaintance, who had previously served sentences for the illegal trade in weapons.

The perpetrators organized a clandestine workshop in a garage of a private house, where they restored combat properties of small arms for sale.

In Khmelnytskyi region, a resident of the capital was detained after being caught selling weapons. He had also prepared for sale more than 1.6 kg of plastic explosives, 11 combat grenades, more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition, a grenade launcher, and smoke grenades.

The detainees have been notified of suspicion under Article 263.1 of the CCU (illegal handling of weapons, ammunition, or explosives).

The decision on additional qualification of the suspects’ actions is pending. They face up to 7 years in prison.

The operational and investigative actions were carried out by the SSU Regional Offices under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutors’ Offices.