During the joint operation conducted by the Ministry of ...

During the joint operation conducted by the Ministry of Justice and the Public Prosecutor's Office, a ten-member organized criminal group, led by a 33-year-old man, was apprehended. The group's activities included illegal arms and ammunition trafficking, as well as involvement in the illicit drug trade. Seven perpetrators, aged 33, 38, 54, 27, 39, and 42, collaborated in a coordinated manner to unlawfully possess, sell, and purchase a substantial quantity of firearms and ammunition. The primary organizer, the 33-year-old man, acquired a 7.62 mm Kalashnikov automatic rifle from an individual in Kosovo and obtained a significant amount of ammunition (800 bullets of calibre 7.65 mm and 300 bullets of calibre 7.62 mm) from a 54-year-old man, the owner of a shooting range in Skopje, and a 27-year-old man, the shooting range manager. The ammunition was procured at a rate of 40-45 denars per bullet. The organizer employed a 39-year-old man and a 42-year-old man for the storage and sale of weapons. Following the organizer's instructions, the 39-year-old man would retrieve the weapons from the 42-year-old man, and transport them to prearranged locations, where they were sold for 1000 euros each. The 39-year-old man received 50 euros per transport while retaining the remainder of the illicit proceeds for personal gain. Regarding the acquisition of ammunition, a 38-year-old man was enlisted by the organizer to procure ammunition from the 54-year-old man and the 27-year-old man, and subsequently deliver it to the organizer at designated locations. Interested buyers would purchase the ammunition for the price of MKD 70-75 per bullet. The perpetrators were arrested and will be charged.