French authorities have dismantled a criminal network trafficking counterfeit and converted firearms from Turkey into the European Union, following raids on luxury properties across the Côte d'Azur and Marseille.
The investigation was led by the French National Gendarmerie's Section de Recherche de Fréjus, supported by Europol and the Swiss Federal Police. Ten suspects were arrested and seven properties searched across Fréjus, Cannes, Nice and Marseille during coordinated action days between Monday, June 8 and Thursday, June 11.
The case began in June 2025 after two counterfeit pistols were discovered hidden inside a luxury car travelling from Switzerland to France. Investigators say they quickly uncovered a well-structured network composed predominantly of Turkish nationals and led by a Turkish-German suspect.
Europol said the searches yielded over 1.2 million euros in seized assets, including counterfeit and converted firearms, three luxury vehicles, luxury watches, jewellery, high-end clothing, fake documents, small quantities of drugs, phones, computers and approximately 30,000 euros in cash.
Members of the group were found to be living in luxury villas and apartments in southern France and travelling in high-end vehicles while conducting their criminal activities.
The network had established an international supply chain specialising in trafficking counterfeit and converted weapons from Turkey into the EU. Europol said the firearms were manufactured to industrial-grade precision, producing replicas closely resembling genuine weapons in appearance, durability and performance.
The agency described counterfeit firearms as a growing threat, noting their appeal to criminal networks seeking lethal weapons while avoiding traditional procurement channels.
The alleged leader of the network was arrested in Slovakia and extradited to Turkey in early 2026. Despite his incarceration, according to Europol, investigators believe he continued to direct operations through associates across Europe.
Europol deployed three experts to France during the action days to support national authorities with real-time operational coordination and analysis.
Featured photo: Gendarmerie Nationale