By Goth Mohamed Goth
Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) announced on Saturday that they seized illegal weapons and dismantled a network of suspected operating from the coastal city of Bosaso,
Security officials intercepted a truck laden with illegal weapons in the Bosaso region, arresting the driver and four individuals believed to be involved in weapons smuggling, according to a Puntland Police statement.
The Police confirmed that the arrested suspects are set to face legal action, emphasizing the administration’s commitment to uphold the law and ensure maritime security. The operation is a part of Puntland’s broader initiative to combat piracy and illegal arms trafficking, underscoring the persistent threat along Somalia’s coastline.
Puntland has meanwhile seen an increased apprehension of arms smugglers and confiscated numerous caches of arms with the lifting of the UN Security Council Arms embargo to non-state actors, allowing arms supplies to Somali government forces.
The weapons are reportedly illegally trafficked to terrorist and organized criminal groups in Somalia and the Sool region in Somaliland, increasing the possibility of violence against civilians, and funding further illicit activity, in the wider Horn region.
