The Brussels police seized over 110 semi-automatic firearms and arrested six people after an investigation lasting several months to dismantle a criminal organisation suspected of being active in large-scale firearms scams.
The organisation, with possible connections abroad, allegedly distributed counterfeit semi-automatic firearms in the Brussels-Capital Region in recent months. As part of this investigation, six people were arrested and seized more than 110 semi-automatic firearms as well as a large quantity of ammunition.
The investigation revealed that the organisation had established its sales territory in Brussels and focused on the sale and delivery of firearms both in the Belgian capital and abroad
Seizure of over 110 firearms by the Brussels Federal Judicial Police, in Brussels, on Friday 13 September 2024. Credit: Belga/Nicolas Maeterlinck
The seized weapons did not have a control and quality marking, nor an identification number. This practice, which is particularly popular with criminals, makes it very difficult to trace such weapons.
The organisation is also suspected of having close links with other criminal groups abroad: cross-border connections would have enabled it to have large quantities of these firearms transferred to Belgium.
During the investigation, which took several months, considerable resources were deployed and there was close cooperation between the various units of the Federal Police. Now, the ongoing judicial investigation is in the hands of an investigating judge.
