AiBot
A recent investigation by Haaretz has shed light on a complex network of firearms smuggling from Iraq to Israel. The investigation revealed the production of hundreds of firearms, including pistols and rifles, copied from Israeli designs and manufactured in Iraqi Kurdistan. These replicas have been smuggled back into Israel, where they have been used in attacks and sold on the black market.
The investigation centered around a factory in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, which was allegedly established by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan with the backing of a US-linked financier. The factory produced firearms branded as Delta Defence Group, which closely resemble Israeli-made pistols and rifles.
According to the investigation, engineers at the factory reverse-engineered the weapons using physical samples and online sources. The copied pistols often sell for more than their Israeli originals on illicit markets. The investigation identified several Israeli models, including Emtan’s MZ-4 rifle and Ramon pistol, and Bul Armory’s Cherokee models, which were copied and reproduced in the factory.
Some of these firearms have been linked to violent attacks, including the 2023 murder of Elan Ganeles. The investigation further revealed that the firearms were used in gangland assassinations, highlighting the involvement of organized crime in the trafficking of these replica firearms.
The factory’s manager, Ross Roggio, a former US paratrooper, was convicted of arms trafficking and torture in 2018 and sentenced to 70 years in prison. However, it remains unclear whether the factory has ceased operations. The investigation found that new models of the copied firearms continue to appear on black markets, suggesting that the factory may still be operating.
The implications of this investigation are far-reaching, highlighting the complexities of international arms trafficking and the ease with which firearms can be manufactured and smuggled across borders. The involvement of a US-linked financier raises questions about the role of foreign powers in the production and trafficking of firearms in the region.
As the investigation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen whether authorities will be able to dismantle the network behind the smuggling of these replica firearms and bring an end to the violence they have fueled.