Coordinated by Interpol across 17 countries, Operation Trigger X seized 2,823 light and small-caliber weapons, nearly 400 grenades and explosives, and over 40,000 rounds of ammunition, as reported by Analisi Difesa. The sweep exposed the enduring fallout of wartime stockpiles feeding illicit trafficking routes across Europe and Central Asia.
Border Seizures Reveal Military-Grade Arsenals and Counterfeit Pistols
Investigators intercepted massive shipments moving through vital transit checkpoints. At the Lesovo border crossing between Bulgaria and Turkey, customs authorities blocked two heavy goods vehicles carrying over 1,000 military-grade hunting rifles. Separately at Kapitan Andreevo, Bulgarian border agents discovered 73 counterfeit pistols hidden in a truck transporting automotive components to Western Europe, with 23 of the weapons stashed beneath the driver’s mattress. Harald Arm, Interpol’s Executive Director for Police Services, pointed out that the operation laid bare the severe risk of conflict-zone weaponry leaking directly into organized crime syndicates.
🔴 Interpol seizes 2,823 firearms, 400 grenades across 17 countriesOperation Trigger X, conducted 22 June–5 July across Europe and Central Asia, dismantled trafficking networks moving weapons from eastern European and Balkan conflict zones into organized crime. A… pic.twitter.com/YcXAXKegNo
The supply lines mapped out during the operation spanned multiple continents and historical eras. Authorities recovered Soviet-era weapons and ammunition across Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, while Ukrainian officials logged the seizure of two Soviet Type 25 grenade launchers. Serbia accounted for the largest individual cache of hand grenades, recovering 68 units smuggled across the border from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Serbian police also raided a clandestine workshop equipped to convert blank-firing and signal pistols into functional firearms.
Cross-Border Networks Link Weapons Smuggling to Migrant Trafficking
The operation dismantled multifaceted criminal syndicates engaging in more than just arms trafficking. Participating authorities arrested 152 individuals for firearms violations, drug trafficking, migrant smuggling, and armed robbery. Interpol agents intercepted 15 subjects flagged by international alerts, including five Red Notice fugitives. Georgian law enforcement detained one suspect wanted by Turkey on murder charges.
In Bulgaria, customs officials seized 20 inflatable rubber boats declared as air mattresses destined for Western Europe. Intelligence links these vessels to criminal networks facilitating clandestine Channel crossings for migrants. Meanwhile, North Macedonian authorities intercepted five irregular migrants, and Serbian border police apprehended a sixth individual near the Hungarian border carrying an automatic rifle and ammunition.
| Seized Item / Action | Quantity / Figure | Primary Location |
|---|---|---|
| Light and small-caliber firearms | 2,823 units | Europe and Central Asia (17 participating countries) |
| Hand grenades and explosives | Nearly 400 units | Balkans and Eastern Europe |
| Ammunition rounds | Over 40,000 rounds | Multiple regional transit hubs |
| Criminal arrests | 152 individuals | Across participating jurisdictions |
Multilateral Frameworks and Italian Leadership in Sarajevo
Operation Trigger X operated under the umbrella of the European Union’s I ARMS V project and Germany’s I-FORCE initiative, backed by EU4FAST funding. The regional counter-smuggling effort relies heavily on cross-border coordination centers, including a permanent Italian Interior Department headquarters established in Sarajevo in 2024. Staffed by personnel from the State Police, Carabinieri, and Guardia di Finanza, the Sarajevo base coordinates satellite hubs across five Balkan nations to counter transnational trafficking.
