In the news to the media, State Police stress that checks have been conducted during this action at 42 thousand customs facilities between November 16th and 20th. As a result, six firearms were seized, 13 pieces of firearms, 600 ammunition and another 297 weapons (the stomach, the spray, pepper, tesera, etc. Trafficking is done through the use of fast customs facilities or package mails

According to police, differences in legislation are exploited by criminals, where firearms or components of fire weapons restricted to an easy and open country can be ordered by another via the internet.

The report says that firearms are often traded on online platforms, including dark web markets, and this development has resulted in a significant increase in the use of packages and postal services for gun trafficking and firearms components.

“International police operation “A RMSTRONG VII”, headed by Europol. The global action against gun trafficking by mail. State police, participants in the operation with equal rights, support 25 counterparts.

Over 42,000 customs facilities were searched and hundreds of weapons seized as part of a joint operation aimed at trafficking firearms in EU countries through postal services and couriers.

Developing between 16 November-20 November, Operation ARMSTRONG VII, with the involvement of police and customs authorities from 26 countries, Austria, Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Spain, Finland, France, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, Northern Macedonia and the United States, with international co-ordination efforts supported by Europol and the European Commission for Taxation and Customs Union (TAXUD) and DGigmigration and Home Affairs <1) and Customs Co-operation <2>.

This operation was conducted under the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT) and implements the EU action plan for arms trafficking 2020-2025 approved by the European Commission in July 2020.

During the week of action, police and customs authorities in the participating countries carried out extensive checks of suspicious customs facilities and postal shipments. This operational phase was preceded by an intelligence phase, in which Europol and DG TAXUD developed risk indicators, including those related to purchases through the dark network in order to increase the success levels of parcel checks during the action week.

416 officers who have conducted 42.124 checks were involved in the operation.
As a result, 6 firearms, 13 pieces of firearms, 600 ammunition and 297 other weapons were seized (thicka,lak, pepper, tesera)

Europol Support

Europol has been actively involved since the start of this operation, gathering intelligent information from all partners participating in firearms and ammunition seized from postal packages from November 2019 to October 2020. This intelligence was used as the input to identify the risk indicators that were shared with law enforcement.

During the week of action, Europol established a virtual command centre and secured a platform for real-time information sharing and cross-checking intelligence, creating a communication network that includes both police and customs authorities.

Illegal trade in firearms by mail.

Using rapid customs facilities or package posts has been identified as a major modus for firearms trafficked within the EU. The differences in legislation are exploited by criminals, where firearms or components of fire weapons restricted to a place easily and openly could be ordered by another via the Internet. Furthermore, firearms are often traded on online platforms, including dark web markets. This development has resulted in a significant increase in the use of packages and postal services for traffic in firearms and weapon components.

Strong Police Co-operation Customs

With millions and millions of customs facilities crossing borders, finding special shipments containing firearms and other forbidden items poses a major challenge for police, customs, and other law enforcement authorities throughout Europe.

In this effort, the primary factor in determining success is intelligence - knowing what to look for (i.e. what to look for). sender, where (d.m.t. The liaison company and when. During arrival, during progress, etc.) Given the new emerging trends, this can only be achieved through an active and ongoing action between police and customs and private industry (butt and inter-connected services)”, police report.