Ten people, including two active soldiers, were arrested and taken into police custody Tuesday in an investigation into a vast arms trafficking in France.
This crackdown was ordered by Parisian examining magistrates charged since June 25, 2020 with a judicial investigation for "acquisition, possession, transfer, transport of weapons of categories A and B in meeting" and "association of criminals ", Specified the judicial source.
The network is suspected of having supplied weapons to drug traffickers and ultra-right sympathizers, said the source familiar with the matter.
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According to information from the television channel, confirmed to AFP from a source close to the case, the suspects "were arrested across Ile-de-France, the east but also the south of France" by the brigade of the repression of banditry (BRB) of the Paris judicial police.
An arsenal "remilitarized" and resold
One of the two soldiers arrested works at the Ministry of Defense and the other is assigned to a base in eastern France.
"A former soldier or even a gun enthusiast sympathizing with the ultra-right" are also among the suspects, said TF1.
Their custody can last up to ninety-six hours.
Some suspects bought from private collectors assault rifles, automatic pistols, submachine guns rendered inoperative, according to the first elements of the investigation unveiled by the channel.
"This arsenal was then made active again, remilitarized, before being sold on the black market to the highest bidders", adds TF1.
Contacted by AFP, the Ministry of Defense had not reacted in the early evening.
