Europol seized 1,534 weapons during an international operation targeting the illicit trade in converted gas and alarm pistols.
Alarm pistols are popular with criminals because they can be easily converted to fire live ammunition. In July last year, crime reporter Peter R. de Vries was probably shot with a converted alarm pistol.
The Romanian police led the Converse’s operation as part of a European response to criminal threats. The action week was in December, and 24 countries, including the Netherlands, took part with the judicial partnership Eurojust and the European Commission.
More than 260 house searches have been carried out. In addition to 1,534 gas and alarm pistols, 17,464 pieces of ammunition and 6,550 kilograms of fireworks were seized.
Alarm pistols are often used in sports to start competitions. But these weapons can be easily converted. Until recently, most such weapons entered the European Union via Turkey. However, Turkish legislation has since been amended to prevent this.
Once in the EU, according to Europol, these weapons are usually bought for a low price on legal markets before being illegally traded to countries where a license is required to buy, import and possess such a firearm.
