Spanish police have shut down a hidden arms workshop in Girona, seizing 644 weapons and arresting a gunsmith with Russian military training. He is accused of converting blank and trauma pistols into working firearms for criminal groups. The raid targeted a storage unit in Figueres and ranks among Spain’s largest illegal arms seizures in recent years. Official police data show that 221 of the 644 weapons had already been modified to fire live ammunition.
The investigation began after officers in Badajoz intercepted a suspicious package on June 11. Inside, they found a pistol and a submachine gun, along with a silencer and a high-capacity drum magazine. Three people connected to the shipment were arrested. Later searches uncovered more weapons and ammunition. Police soon identified a wider network, including a second operation that distributed weapons and ammunition to criminal groups involved in drug trafficking and kidnappings.
Surveillance revealed a pattern of shipments from the Valencian Community, with weapons moving through several provinces. On June 29, police arrested another intermediary in Valencia. He was caught with a rifle and a semi-automatic pistol hidden in a modified car compartment. A search of his home turned up a German army pistol and a shotgun, adding to evidence of a well-organized supply chain.
The investigation led to a technical specialist working from a concealed workshop in Girona. The former Russian army expert was converting blank-firing and trauma pistols into real firearms and producing reloaded ammunition. Police linked him to the Figueres storage unit, where most of the weapons were kept. The operation reached a turning point on August 25, when officers intercepted another package at a Girona courier facility. It was headed for Alzira under a false name and contained a submachine gun with its serial number removed.
With court approval, police searched the suspect’s home in L’Escala and the Figueres storage unit. They found 631 weapons, including real firearms, as well as blank pistols and trauma guns. The searches also turned up thousands of cartridges and silencers, plus banned gun parts such as slides and frames, along with barrels and high-capacity magazines. The haul included two submachine guns with erased serial numbers and a rifle with an optical sight, reportedly stolen in Valencia. ABC reported that police also seized around 400 units of raw weapon material, including traumatic, acoustic and blank-firing guns intended for further conversion. Authorities believe the group supplied organized criminal networks. Police are tracing the origins and international channels of the seized arsenal as the investigation continues.
Six suspects have been arrested so far. The Russian-trained gunsmith is now in pre-trial detention. Police consider him a basic figure for European law enforcement because of his technical skills and his role in arming organized crime. The investigation remains active. The most recent arrest came in Barcelona on August 31, targeting the person who transported weapons from Alicante to Girona.
Clandestine workshops and modified weapons continue to supply criminal groups in Spain. The size of the Girona arsenal and the technical skill involved set this case apart from routine seizures. Police are still working to break up these networks and keep weapons from reaching violent groups. The crackdown follows a series of major criminal investigations, including the recent search for a suspect in a deadly Valencia attack. The Girona operation reflects the determination of Spanish authorities and the persistence of criminal supply chains.
