Czechs arrest alleged arms smugglers

PRAGUE, Czech Republic, March 23 (UPI) -- Czech and Austrian police have arrested 12 alleged members of a suspected international arms smuggling ring, Prague Radio said Friday.

Nine Austrians and three Czechs had their caches of weapons outside the southern Czech town of Znojmo, close to the border with Austria, police charge.

The smugglers were making decommissioned machine guns usable again and transferred the weapons across the border to Austria for sale, police allege.

In a raid, police uncovered 24 machine guns, 55 firearms, silencers and ammunition.

If put on trial and convicted, the suspects face sentences of between three to 10 years in jail, the radio report said.