A major police operation in Remscheid, Nordrhein-Westfalen, uncovered a significant cache of weapons, including potentially war-grade arms, in a raid that involved extensive searches and the seizure of military relics.

Alongside the weapons, authorities detained a total of three men aged 34, 37, and 59, who are suspected of being involved in organized arms trafficking, with arrest warrants issued for them.

The operation was launched on Sunday evening and involved 200 police officers executing multiple search warrants across several locations, including a multi-family building that was evacuated for safety reasons.

The raid was carried out with the support of special police units, including the Einsatzkommando (SEK), and was part of a broader investigation that began with covert purchases of weapons in September 2024, following initial clues from May of the same year.

Authorities used undercover operations to purchase military-grade weapons, revealing that some of these arms, including machine pistols, were operational and possibly smuggled from Poland, with ongoing investigations into their complex construction.

Evidence suggests that some weapons were illegally imported from Poland, and the investigation has uncovered attempts to modify weapons components, highlighting the sophistication of the trafficking network.

While no weapons were found in the suspect vehicle, intelligence indicates that traffickers employed clandestine methods, such as smuggling parts from Poland, and further investigations are ongoing.

The police discovered a diverse collection of relics from WWII, including Nazi and Soviet artifacts, in the basement of the 59-year-old suspect, who had assembled a museum-like display, though there is no current evidence linking these relics to extremist motives.

Expert teams from the bomb disposal unit were called in to secure the found weapons, which included war relics and potentially dangerous items like tanks and explosives, leading to the complete evacuation of the premises.

The operation also resulted in the seizure of drugs and cash, indicating that the suspects may have been involved in broader criminal activities beyond arms trafficking.

Authorities are still verifying whether all confiscated weapons are live and functional, as part of ongoing efforts to assess the scope and danger posed by the traffickers.

This law enforcement effort is considered a significant blow against illegal arms trade, with international cooperation involving Europol and multiple European countries underscoring its importance.