US Arrests Smugglers of Russian Weapons
Thu Mar 17, 2005 04:01
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US Arrests Smugglers of Russian Weapons
MOSNEWS, Russia - Mar 15, 2005
The group was allegedly smuggling grenade launchers, shoulder-fired missiles and other Russian military weapons, AP reported on Tuesday. ...
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Joseb Kharabadze, one of the 18 charged, is led in handcuffs by federal agents from FBI / Photo: AP
SOURCE:
U.S. authorities have charged 18 people with smuggling Russian weapons into the country.
The group was allegedly smuggling grenade launchers, shoulder-launched missiles and other Russian weaponry, AP reported on Tuesday. Arrests have been made in New York, Miami and Los Angeles. The defendants are also charged with a criminal complaint with conspiring to traffic in machine guns and other assault weapons, and with selling eight such weapons.
The arrests resulted from a year-long investigation that used a confidential informant posing as an arms trafficker selling weapons to terrorists. The informant contacted the FBI after he was approached by a man who said he had access to weapons from the former Soviet Union and believed the informant, an explosives expert, could find a willing buyer, the agency quoted a law enforcement source speaking on condition of anonymity.
Over the following year, the informant purchased eight assault weapons in locations around the country. Using a digital camera provided by the informant, members of the ring, which included Armenians and South Africans, provided pictures of the weapons they said they had available for sale, the official said.
The pictures, apparently taken somewhere in Armenia, show anti-tank missiles, a Russian missile launcher and a recoilless anti-tank rifle, among other weapons.
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US authorities charge 18 with Russian weapons-smuggling plot
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