Simon Wade
WEAPONS of war, explosives and firearms have been seized in a nationwide swoop with 21 arrests.
Policia Nacional worked with a number of other law agencies across 15 Spanish provinces to smash the trafficking network, involving a terrifying array of arms.
In what police sources say was ‘one of the largest criminal networks dedicated to the illicit marketing and distribution of weapons’, 200 agents carried out 32 searches on Thursday June 18, recovering a total of 731 firearms.
Included were 14 weapons of war (seven of which were automatic), a grenade launcher, two anti-tank mines, two hand grenades and 127 other illegal weapons.
Explosive materials such as aluminum powder, gunpowder, and detonators were also found.
Those arrested were in Madrid (2), Burgos (1), Toledo (1), Cuenca (1), Malaga (3), Valencia (1), Gerona (1), Tarragona (1) , Murcia (2), La Coruña (1), Lugo (5) and Orense (1) and Vizcaya (1).
Investigations started early in 2019 when a man in Malaga was found trading arms on the black market.
His network uncovered a nationwide web of dealers, dealing in the marketing and transportation of deadly weapons.
All of the arrested had the knowhow to modify weapons in secret workshops, some of which could convert semi-automatic rifles into automatic.
Police admit that there may still be international connections to those arrested, with links to terrorist organisations globally.
