In a significant international law enforcement operation, a high-value target was arrested, and 21 suspects were apprehended across Spain, Bulgaria, and Greece as part of a crackdown on a criminal network involved in trading firearms for cannabis. The operation, which took place on March 23, revealed a complex operation exchanging illegal arms sourced from the Western Balkans and Türkiye for marijuana, intensifying organized crime activities within the European Union. The main suspect, a Turkish national with a Greek residence permit, was reportedly central to the coordination of firearm transportation into Spain and the distribution of drugs across several countries including Greece and Bulgaria. According to Europol, this network was responsible for a significant surge in armed violence across Europe, utilizing a sophisticated system of concealed compartments in vehicles for smuggling. Europol’s investigation, which began in March 2025 following the detection of illegal arms shipments by Spain’s Mossos d’Esquadra, uncovered the large-scale trafficking of so-called “Frankenstein” weapons—hybrids of original firearm components and handmade parts—making them hard to trace and favored in criminal circles. Alongside the firearms, approximately 550 kilograms of marijuana and significant quantities of hashish were seized, with the total estimated illicit market value of the contraband reaching EUR 4.4 million. Support from Europol was crucial in this operation, providing intelligence exchange, operational coordination, and assistance in mapping the criminal network’s activities. The coordinated arrests and seizures underscore the ongoing efforts by EMPACT (European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats) to combat serious international crime affecting the EU, enhancing cooperation between national and international law enforcement bodies. Post navigation Elderly Targeted in Fraud Spree