PSP seized 91 prohibited weapons in an international operation coordinated by Europol – Portugal

The Public Security Police (PSP) seized 91 alarm weapons in the national territory that could be transformed into firearms, during an international operation coordinated by Europol, it was announced this Monday.

The national management of the PSP announced this Monday that 84 elements from the Department of Weapons and Explosives and the territorial commands of that police participated, between the 19th and 23rd of February last, in the fourth edition of “Operation CONVERSUS”, part of the action of the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats EMPACT) and coordinated by Europol, with the aim of seizing alarm weapons acquired without authorization and easily converted into firearms.

The head of the Investigation and Inspection Center of the Department of Weapons and Explosives, David Soares, explained that, although the European operation was carried out in February, the data was only released today by Europol and could later be announced by the countries’ police forces.

The same source added that these alarm weapons capable of being transformed into firearms, and then inserted into trafficking circuits, is a problem already identified by European authorities and that legislation has prohibited their sale in Portugal since 2019.

In the operation carried out on national territory, 91 weapons and 118 ammunition were seized and 20 criminal and misdemeanor reports were drawn up, with no transformed weapon being found, as has happened in previous years.

This type of weapons can be transformed into fire, he explained, adding that the majority come mainly from Turkey and that Spain also sold them freely until some time ago.

In Portugal, its purchase has been prohibited since 2019 with an administrative offense (fine) or as a crime, if it has been modified.

The February operation took place in 31 countries, namely Albania, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Slovenia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Serbia, Switzerland and Ukraine.

This operation is based on the participation of the PSP, through the Department of Weapons and Explosives, in several international organizations such as EUROPOL and INTERPOL, in international police cooperation platforms such as EMPACT, and the consequent sharing and analysis of information related to alarm weapons, easily convertible into a firearm, acquired by Portuguese citizens in the European Union.

During the various editions of this operational action, the PSP has already seized a total of 383 weapons, namely 292 alarm weapons capable of being transformed into firearms.

The PSP highlights, in a note released today, that “international police cooperation between Europol and the police constitutes a crucial pillar in the fight against international arms trafficking”.