Posted on 10/06/2002 6:41:21 PM PDT by Rebelbase
Russia has found that you can pass all the laws you want; Criminals who want guns will have them, even if they have to dig them out of the ground.
Despite reports of an overall bleak Russian economy, there’s one capitalistic venture in the ex-Soviet Union that’s not only lucrative but is but thriving--the Russian black market. So prevalent is the illegal sale of armaments, munitions, and morally questionable paraphernalia that it promoted a radical overhaul in federal legislation that regulates all weapons.
But even the threat of a mandatory eight-year prison sentence for weapons violations has affected either supply of demand. And the means by which these black marketers procure their stock is both surprising and reprehensible.
Accurately gauging the scope of this “retail” business has been a daunting task of Russian law enforcement. For firearms, estimates are mainly based on the number confiscated by police during arrests, by thorough searches of pubic and private structures and by retrieval of weapons willfully discarded the scene of the crime—a common trait among professional assassins.
The collection of recovered arms is enormous, and contains a vast array of domestic and foreign manufacture models, World War II relics and homemade guns. By far, Soviet military weaponry dominates the black market, and includes the entire line of full semiautomatic Kalashnikovs and post-war production pistols PM(Makarov) and TT (Tokarev).
Less common, but also available are stechkin sub-guns and the PSM—a compact variant of Walther pp/ppk design. But recent confiscation records have revealed an increase in illegal use of Chinese, Polish, and Czech models as well.
One major cause for this expansion is illegal arms trade is related to the dissolution the USSR> Before its breakup the Soviet military warehouse almost unlimited quantities of arms and ordnance throughout what is now known as the CIS States.
Most of these fledgling republics were unable or unwilling to protect the Soviet arsenals—particularly in the self proclaimed independent region of Chechnya, where loose-knit regiments and bandits plundered a great deal of stored arms and ordnance. As a result, the black market is flooded with illegal imports that have been traced to “hot spots” such as Chechnya and the neighboring Northern Caucasus, and abroad from Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and Georgia, where interethnic conflicts continue to decay territories.
But because arms trafficking is widespread throughout the Eastern Hemisphere and not unique to Russia alone, law enforcement se4rvices of multiple nations have been able to combine their resources in an effort to cub this illegal activity.
Another rich component of the Russian black market are the belated spoils of the Great Patriotic War—World War II.
On June 22, 1941, Germany invaded the USSR in a surprise attack, and brought together two multimillion-man armies on the soil of the Motherland. At the time of the attack, the Red Army was caught unaware and ill prepared, and was easily forced to retreat as battles ensued from all directions.
Halting and reversing the German advance war began slowly, starting in 1942 within the Smolensk region and on the outskirts of Moscow itself. Both sides suffered enormous casualties--2 million men in the first year alone--along with a corresponding loss of material.
To comprehend the magnitude of the loss on these battlefields, more than over 100,000 Russian and German soldiers still remain unrecovered from where they fell dead. And with them lay all of their armament, gear, medals and other personal effects. The factors of time, continuo8us conflict and nature makes extraction of these mournful remains from the densely, wooded, remote areas of Russia even more difficult.
During the Soviet era, state-assisted volunteers undertook a noble search for these lost soldiers throughout the nation. In honor and fulfillment of debt to these brave servicemen, youth groups set out to recover, identify and bury the remains with full military honors.
Other organizations such as museums, veterans' administrations, and schools were motivated by willingness and enthusiasm, rather than State funds, to join the recovery efforts. And by their donations of time and labor, tens of thousands of Russian as well as German families were able to learn the whereabouts of their beloved relatives.
But found working among these honorable groups are blasphemous workers who dig only for profit--the "Black Pathfinders".
Primarily made up of men under the age of 30, these criminals are well-organized and backed by foreign connections, shadow companies and professional gangs. They are also well prepared with information and maps collected at home and from abroad via American internet sources, and satellite navigational equipment (GPS systems).
Though frequent arrests net many of these marauders, there is no substantial decrease in their numbers. Participants number in the hundreds, and the promise of sensational finds and fabulous profits seduces replacements for the convicted.
This criminal element can be divided into three categories. The first group is identified as the “Garret Selectors”. A minor category, these men simply go into the surrounding villages to acquire by trade or purchase, weapons and artifacts from the local inhabitants. Many of these private collections were obtained during wartime.
The second felonious group is called “slop Selectors”. These men locate old German rubbish heaps and extract unique items and antiques. It as common for Germans to plunder museums and homes and then decorate their dreary foxholes and bunkers with scavenged items such as porcelain figurines, crystal and carpeting. And after these accoutrements ceased t0o be a pleasant distraction, they were smashed or simply tossed onto countless junk heaps.
The last category is the largest—the “Diggers”. They excavate in multiple areas—ancient foxholes, trenches and cemeta4ries of both Russians and Germans. Among them are those savvy in the art of remanufacturing homemade explosives.
Armed with extensive knowledge of history, they not only retrieve weapons and munitions, but also restore firearms and glean explosives for manufacture of their own devices.
And yet these “trophy hunters” adamantly avoid contact with other criminal groups. Their passion is a carefully planned, full-time operation that involves long studies of history, military engineering, old battle plans and archived material. These hobby archeologists are known as “Green Pathfinders.”
For pathfinders employed by the black market, the adventure begins in the autumn when the mosquito population and temperatures dramatically drop. Basic tools of for their search of hidden trenches, hides and approach area are mine detectors and probing rods. Shovels and scoops are employed when metals are detected.
Recovered items such as ammunition, awards and medals are easily sold to collectors and simple fans of military memorabilia. Such sellers make an appreciable income from it. For example, a steel SS helmet in excellent condition, complete with horns, nets $200. German belt buckles bearing fascist insignia can bring $50.00
The most valuable and profitable items however, are distinguished medals. A recovered order of Lenin award can cost several thousand dollars, same for mint condition German Knights Cross of the Iron Cross. More off color items in demand are medals and helmets punctured by bullets, unusual mess kits and items containing insignias.
Gold can also be had in the form of wedding bands and tooth crowns. Diggers ruthlessly search for this precious metal in the tank trenches where thousands of Soviets—soldier and civilian prisoners alike—were shot. They also without conscience sift through old burial grounds surrounding the concentration camps.
But the objects most coveted by all Pathfinders are arms and ammunition. Experts estimate 1-3 million weapons lie unrecovered on Russian soil. Most searches are conducted in the areas of Tver, Smolensk, Kaluga, Moscow, Novorod and former Leningrad (Saint Petersburg). Specific regions include olenin, Vyazma, Yuxnov, Shaxovsk and Demyansk. On these grounds the bloodiest battles took place.
For example in July 1941 near Vyazma in Smolensk province, German forces trapped 55 divisions from the Western front, 56 of the Reserve front and all of Boldin’s forces—nearly 600,000 Red Army soldiers in all. Two-thirds of Soviet personnel were killed, and nearly all equipment and artillery was lost or destroyed.
By mid October, the Soviet Stavka (strategic planners) merged the Western and Reserve fronts in Vyazma to block the enemy’s strategic route to Moscow. There again, troops incurred massive losses due to lack of arms and ammunition. During this same period, Leningrad and Kiev were under heavy siege, Kharkov fell while far beyond, Mojaysk was under grave threat.
This particular time frame is considered to be on of the hardest defeats of the USSR during its Great Patriotic War.
Another hotbed for diggers is Olenis, Tver Province Among the districts west of Tver, there was a battle known as “Rjev-Vyazma-Gjatsk Ledge”. Here, German troops dressed in civilian garb attacked the Soviets during the winter counter offensive (‘41-42). As a result Rzhev was captured and the Soviets suffered tremendous looses in an attempt to destroy the “Ledge”.
The Germans got back some of their own medicine at Demyansk, Novgorod Province in February 1942. The Red Army successfully defended the city and by wide flank, encircled 103,000 German troops of the 2nd and 10th Corps. Among them was a division of the Death’s Head SS. It was the first engagement in which the Soviets captured large German units.
Here too, it becomes necessary to mention the notorious confrontation at Neva Point. Located near the former Lenningrad area, the Neva River flows from Lake Lagoda into the Finland Gulf. Here, Soviet troops formed a front 2-3 kilometers long and over 600-700 meters deep. Unfortunately, the ensuing battle cost the lives of 200,000-300,000 Soviet soldiers.
Search operations in this waterfront area have continued unabated for more than 50 years. And each year new remains are being recovered.
Weapons the Pathfinders collect come in a variety of conditions. Some samples are rusted solid or mere skeletal steel frames, while others are capable of being restored. The medium of preservation and humidity plays an important factor. Irrespective of conditions, bolt action rifles are usually good candidates for restoration. Unlike semis and machine guns, which house more intricate assemblies, the simple bolt-action can better retain its working properties.
Sometimes mint condition weapons are discovered “new in the box” in their original packaging, usually from evacuated hides and concrete bunkers.
The most common items collected are Russian and German standard military issue arms: Mauser and Mosin-Nagant rifles, PPSh-41, PPD, MP-38, and MP-40 submachine guns and Tokarev, Luger, P-38 and Mauser Broomhandle pistols. MG-42 and Degtyarev machine guns are also found.
Pathfinders turn to illegal gunsmiths for restoration services, and once prepped the guns end up on the market. Though old, they command a high price. An MP-40 or PPsh can cost around $400. A Mauser rifle or carbine sells for $250-300. Luger, Mauser and TT pistols in good condition vary from $100-250.
Some customers want these relics regardless of condition or working operation. To them, the unusable gun is a legal collector’s item and avoids any conflict with the law.
In these battle zones, many searchers also find mines, shells and bombs. At one time explosives literally turned much of this earth in the same manner a farmer would plow a field. Very often they are found live and ready to explode. But despite the dangers, Pathfinders fervently recover them for the purpose of gaining the desirable TNT they hold.
Moscow, 2000—Police and rescue respond to a call from the village of Remyanmi Istirnsky, where in nearby woods they discover and explosives smelting operation. This is an area, where in 1941, the Soviet Air Force had broken a rear column of the Germans in the midst of re-supplying the front line. A gang of Diggers had recovered two unexploded bombs weighing approximately 100 kilos each, along with mortars and artillery shells. Near the smelting bonfire, police found split polyethylene bottle-molds used for cooling and reshaping the TNT after separation from their housings
Though it is difficult accurately to determine the number to smelting “labs” authorities believe that hundreds of kilos of raw explosive materials have been gleaned; based on statistics that nearly 50% of confiscated explosives had come from Soviet military munitions. On the black market, a kilo of TNT can be purchased for $70. Soviet and German grenades range from $10-30. Sales from this profitable commodity are mainly controlled by the Russian Mafia.
But the common dream among most Diggers is the discovery of an armament “”mother lode”—untouched underground Army warehouses. Many of these abandoned German and Russian caches remain hidden throughout the territory.
Smolensk, 2000—Police nab two unemployed brothers who’d uncovered such a warehouse at a nearby settlement lake. Confiscated were 1300 artillery shells, 520 mortars, and more than 5 tons of TNT. A greater quantity remained untouched within the neutralized structure.
The Diggers were apprehended in the early stages of the smelting process, possessing only 21 kilos of gleaned TNT. Busts of such magnitude are rare, but police believe this profitable endeavor will continue through 50, indeed even hundreds of years to come.
Pathfinders frequently store collected military parts then add home-milled parts to patch together a useable weapon. Sawn-off Russian and German rifles are popular examples of simple reconstructions, but more skilled craftsman can easily reproduce PPSh or MP-40 submachine guns, pistols and revolvers. Being resourceful, they can also offer a variety of caliber.
Though the majority of these are substandard quality, police are finding homemade pistols and open-bolt machine guns that operate effectively. Producing a simple weapon is not difficult if you have a dug-up barrel and bare-bones equipment and household tools. Others are secretly produced in working machine shops. These most often come in the basic caliber of 9x18mm and 7.62x25mm.
Since the recent rash of bombings throughout Russian territory, police and courts have cracked down on Black Pathfinders and their accomplices. But some in law enforcement think that rendered punishments are a bit too soft.
In addition to busts, police have adopted a Liberal “buy back” program. Citizen’s who voluntarily turn in illegal weapons are not only exempt from prosecution but also get paid for their trouble. Current monetary rewards upon deliver: $8-10 per weapon, $30 per kilogram of explosives and 3-4 cents per cartridge.
This business is not likely to go away anytime soon. Since the deadly treasures the Black Pathfinders acquire are a small fraction of those buried in Russian Soil, these trophies will continue to be sought and sold for generations to come. And as for police, the suppression efforts, arrests of the guilty and confiscation of these items will steadfastly continue for just as long.
A very interesting read. There are some great photos of homemade Russian weapons.
After reading the brief historical sections of the article, I am even more thankful for living in the USA.
Similarly costly battles were fought between France, Great Britain and Germany on the Western Front in WWI. The battle of Verdun lasted from February-December 1916 and resulted in about 550,000 French and 450,000 German casualties, about half dead and half wounded.
Good Read, Thanks for the ping........Stay Safe RB !!
And these mine detectors are the crude military versions that miss anything small,and ever those are restricted to the point where it is illegal for civilians to own them. I sent plans on building a modern metal detector to a friend of mine in Russia who is a coin collector a couple of years ago,and he almost went nuts when he saw what it would do. I think he built 3 before he even got one he could keep for himself. His brothers kept buying them off him. He lives in a mostly rural area of Russia,and there are still the remains of abandoned villages all over his area from when Stalin had the countryside cleared and everybody moved to the cities. The Germans didn't get that far east,so there are no war materials in his area to be found. There is a amazing amount of old money and family heirlooms buried all over that country,and the people who buried it and their entire families dissapeared into various gulags to die. My friend even had coins dating back to Peter the Great in excellent condition that he gave me as a gift. Who knows what he has found since? I'm not about to ask him in a e-mail because the last I heard,even searching for old coins is still illegal there. The state takes the position they still own everything.
*Click here, gospodin struwwelpeter* [Shpagin .mpg]
You'll find some other nice pa-pa-shah still photos *here* and *here*
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