Arrest of an international gold gang with heavy weapons and drugs in Qena

In a qualitative security operation in the desert dahir of Qus center in Qena governorate, the security forces were able to dismantle an international criminal network consisting of 25 members, including 8 persons of foreign nationalities, who were engaged in multiple criminal activities, including illegal gold mining and drug trafficking. The operation began with accurate intelligence that monitored the movements of the gang, which established a fortified headquarters in the middle of remote mountains, where giant mills were erected to grind quartz stones and extract gold illegally, and turned the area into an integrated criminal colony. When the Central Security Forces approached the gang's positions, the criminals opened fire with heavy weapons in an attempt to escape, but the forces dealt decisively with the source of the fire, killing one of the members of the criminal formation and arresting the rest. The raid revealed a terrifying arsenal of weapons that included an RPG, two multi-shot machine guns and 10 automatic rifles with huge amounts of ammunition. The forces seized two kilograms of Shabu and large sums of money in local and foreign currencies. The seizures also included 13 giant mills, excavators, 7 transport cars, and 7 motorcycles without plates. The total value of the seizures was estimated at about 50 million pounds, representing a strong blow to the gold and drug mafia in Upper Egypt. The forces destroyed all equipment and sites used in criminal activity and restored security to the area, confirming that the security eye monitors every inch of Egyptian lands and that the law is the only master throughout the country.