Arms trafficking in France: several alleged members of the Turkish community indicted and imprisoned

Several people linked to the Turkish community were indicted and imprisoned in France as part of an investigation for arms trafficking, which led to the seizure of 150 pistols, AFP learned on Tuesday from sources close to the case.

Twelve people, most of them suspected of belonging to the Turkish criminal organization Daltonlar, were arrested Thursday and Friday in France, a close source told AFP, confirming information from BFM. During a police operation, “150 firearms were seized in a van in Ain,” she added.

Seven men indicted for arms trafficking

According to a second close source, confirming the daily Le Parisien, seven men were indicted on Monday in Paris for arms trafficking and criminal association, then placed in pre-trial detention, following hearings before the judge of freedoms and detention (JLD).

A first Turk was arrested on August 24, and indicted and imprisoned on the 28. According to Le Parisien, he was arrested at Gare de Lyon in Paris, while he was carrying two bags containing around thirty pistols, counterfeit Glocks. This therefore brings the number of known indictments to eight at the moment.

Investigators are interested in arms trafficking that could extend to Spain, Italy and Belgium in particular, and could or could have benefited organizations such as the DZ Mafia or the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party), according to close sources. According to the second close source, certain weapons were used during an assassination attempt in Marseille. The investigation is being carried out by the National Anti-Organized Crime Prosecutor's Office (Pnaco), which declined to comment on this matter.