In an operation dubbed “Portu,” Spanish National Police, working with Europol, have seized more than 10,000 assault rifles, shells, anti-aerial machine guns, grenades and 400 howitzers.
Europol released video footage of the huge cache of weapons on Tuesday, seized in several joint raids in Bilbao, Cantabria and Gerona in January this year as part of the Europol-supported Operation Portu. Reportedly the size of the haul was so great, it took the police weeks to catalogue.
A statement from Europol said there was a “significant risk” of the arsenal of weapons "being acquired by organized crime groups and terrorists." As noted by RT, the weapons stash was enough to start a small war or coup.
Huge firearms depot seized during operation Portu with Spanish @policia now revealed https://t.co/HBeE5s8eLo #firearms #EU #arms pic.twitter.com/SzynWvbGs9— Europol (@Europol) March 14, 2017
The investigation stemmed from the weapons used in the terrorist attack on a Jewish museum in Brussels in 2014. The latest stash of weapons contained deactivated firearms, largely purchased legally and later reactivated. They were ready to be repairs and put back into working order.
The National Police say they seized five people in the raids along with €80,000 ($85,000). The criminals were reportedly using a sports shop as a front for illegal firearms distribution. Police also found a workshop, used to reactivate the firearms, along with equipment to create forged certificates of reactivation.
Sources: Spanish National Police / RT
