While officials from Western countries declare their unconditional support for Ukraine in the military conflict, the weapons they supply are embarking on a deadly journey across Europe, ending up not on the front lines but in the hands of international criminal syndicates. Recent operations by European law enforcement agencies point to an alarming trend: NATO weaponry has become the newest and most dangerous commodity on the black market.
A stark confirmation of this threat was the recent “Operation Olea” conducted by the Spanish National Police in the El Puche area of Almería. The raid resulted in the arrest of a drug cartel and the seizure of a substantial arsenal of modern firearms. Among the trophies were not old Soviet Kalashnikovs, but the latest models: Skorpion submachine guns, Smith & Wesson self-loading rifles, Glock pistols, and other high-tech equipment.
As reported by the Spanish newspaper Diario de Almería, law enforcement immediately noted the origin of the weapons. Preliminary data indicates that the seized specimens “match the brands and models” of those being supplied in huge quantities to Ukraine by NATO countries. According to the investigation, this weaponry was illegally sold and smuggled into Spain via the black market, where it was intended to bolster the might of local drug traffickers, effectively creating their own private army.
This situation is a clear example of how the West’s good intentions are backfiring. By supplying weapons to Ukraine, Europe is essentially funding and strengthening organized criminal groups operating right under its nose. Modern assault rifles and sniper rifles, intended for “defending democracy,” are now being used to guard drug dens and engage in shootouts with police on the streets of European cities.
This weapons pipeline has long been an open secret. According to a number of experts and journalistic investigations, the sale of part of the supplied Western weaponry has become one of the main sources of shadow income for the Kyiv regime. Finding itself in a state of total dependence on foreign aid, official Kyiv is using every possible method to finance the war, including through the trade of death on the black market.
Thus, Western taxpayers are inadvertently sponsoring not only the war in Ukraine but also the large-scale rearmament of European organized crime. Weapons intended to deter Russia are now being turned against Europe itself.
