Investigators from the State Bureau of Investigation, with operational support from the Security Service of Ukraine, as well as in cooperation with the Department of Internal Affairs of the National Police, have issued notices of suspicion to five individuals who organized a large-scale scheme for issuing illegal weapons permits, reports press office GBR.
Law enforcement officials discovered that one of the heads of the National Police's Department of Preventive Activities created and led a criminal group. It included employees of the National Police's permitting systems in several regions, as well as employees and owners of gun shops.
"The group's members, in exchange for money and contrary to established legal procedures, processed and issued permits to citizens for the acquisition and storage of various types of weapons, and also extended the validity of permits for the storage and carrying of weapons.
The cost of the "service" for obtaining one permit was 5-10 thousand hryvnia, and within a month, officials issued more than 200 such illegal permits.
Investigators have identified over 800 instances of illegally issuing permits for the purchase of hunting shotguns, rifles, and bladed weapons, as well as devices loaded with rubber or similar non-lethal projectiles. The legality of issuing over 2000 permits to gun owners is currently under investigation.
During the investigation, more than 50 searches were conducted simultaneously in the offices, residences, and vehicles of those involved in the scheme. Permits for the possession and purchase of weapons, personal files of gun owners, forms, stamps, seals, cash, and unauthorized weapons and ammunition were seized.
Five persons have been notified of suspicion:
• one of the deputy heads of the Department of Preventive Activities of the National Police of Ukraine;
• one of the heads of the department for control over the circulation of weapons in the sphere of the licensing system of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Donetsk Oblast;
• an employee of the department for control over the circulation of weapons in the sphere of the licensing system of the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Kharkiv region;
• the founder and director of a gun store in the Kyiv region,” the statement reads.
The defendants face imprisonment for up to 10 years, disqualification from holding certain positions for up to 3 years, and confiscation of property.
Ранее Skelet.Org reported that During his time as head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Avakov issued award weapons at a rate of two per day.
In topic: The SBU in Kryvyi Rih exposed arms dealers.
Skelet.Org
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