Cairo, Egypt – As part of its tireless efforts to protect the nation’s borders and maintain complete security control across all strategic directions, the Egyptian Armed Forces dealt a decisive blow to one of the most dangerous transnational organized crime networks. This network specialized in smuggling and selling weapons and ammunition across the southern strategic axis.
Intelligence monitoring and accurate information
In an official statement, Colonel Ahmed Atman, the military spokesman for the armed forces, announced that intelligence agencies had successfully obtained confirmed information. This information indicated that an organized criminal network intended to smuggle large shipments of weapons and ammunition across the country’s southern border.
The military spokesperson explained that the network’s criminal scheme aimed to promote and sell these weapons within Egypt’s interior provinces. Furthermore, the network intended to supply criminal and outlaw elements involved in illegal gold mining with the necessary equipment. This equipment was intended to protect their illegal activities and undermine local security and stability.
Two smuggling operations were thwarted and the contraband was seized.
Immediately, strict directives were issued to intensify field monitoring and surveillance operations by the armed forces personnel responsible for securing this area. As a result, these swift actions resulted in the thwarting of two complete smuggling operations involving shipments of weapons and ammunition in the desert region of Aswan Governorate. The successful security operation also led to the seizure of a complete arsenal of weapons and military equipment. This arsenal included 24 weapons of various types and uses, 49,211 rounds of live ammunition of different calibers, four RPG rocket-propelled grenades, and 38 RPG propellant charges. In addition, an armed Toyota Hilux pickup truck, used for transport and camouflage, was also seized.
In addition, a number of identification papers and personal documents belonging to foreign nationals involved in the criminal network were found. The relevant authorities are currently pursuing the remaining fugitive members of the network. They are seeking to apprehend them and take all necessary legal measures against them.
Full vigilance to protect national security
This successful operation is the culmination of the armed forces’ tireless efforts, around the clock, to secure the nation’s strategic borders. It also reaffirms their high level of combat readiness to strike with an iron fist anyone who dares to threaten Egyptian national security.
