On February 27, 2025, an Austrian -wide Joint Action Day (JAD) took place, which was coordinated and managed by the government of State Protection and Intelligence (DSN). Together with the state offices of state protection and exemplary fighting (LSE) Lower Austria, Vienna, Upper Austria, Burgenland, Styria, Tyrol and Vorarlberg on behalf of the public prosecutors at fourteen locations, house searches and consolidations were carried out in a total of ten male persons who are suspected of having banned objects under the Weapons Act, War Material Act or the prohibition law. Numerous weapons and ammunition as well as Nazi devotionals were secured as part of the joint action day. Together in close cooperation with the judicial authorities, in this case, further investigations are carried out.
“The government of state protection and intelligence service, but also the state offices, have led extensive investigations against the arms trade and against the right -wing extremist scene in recent months. This path has been continued consistently, ”said Interior Minister Gerhard Karner.
Minister of Justice Anna Sporrer also congratulated the judicial and security authorities on this success and added: “Together with the local executive, our public prosecutors do excellent work in the fight against extremism and organized crime every day. A functioning rule of law is essential for the security of the Austrians and together we will continue to proceed against extremist activity. ”
State Secretary for the Directorate State Security and Intelligence, Jörg Leichtfried, praised the commitment as a success of the democratic constitutional state. “This success of the investigation shows how important a professional protection of the constitution is for our democracy. It is an example that any form of extremism feels the full hardness of our rule of law. ”
Searches, seizures and interrogations in seven federal states
The origin of the Joint Action Day resulted from a house search carried out by the LSE Lower Austria in 2024, in which war material in the form of weapons and war ammunition as well as Nazi devotionals, including uniform parts and badges, were ensured. The evaluation of the also ensured data carriers and intensive investigations now led to ten other suspects in Vienna, Burgenland, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Tyrol, Vorarlberg and Styria.
“Illegal arms trade is a serious international security problem. Criminals and terrorists do not legally acquire their weapons. In order to narrow down or prevent illegal arms trade, causes, sources and buyers must be the goal of the investigation. The digital space and cross -border trade make it difficult for us to persecute arms dealers. The national and international judicial and security authorities can therefore only proceed efficiently together. This campaign is an example of successful cooperation between national authorities. I would like to thank the investigators for their consistent and essential approach, ”emphasized General Director Franz Ruf.
In cooperation with the respective LSE and with the support of the Cobra operations command as well as the fast intervention groups (SIG) Lower Austria and Burgenland, there were extensive surveillance, including more than 90 firearms of different categories, over ten thousand shot ammunition and Nazi devotionals. Mobile phones and other data carriers were also secured. In the course of the intervention, six preliminary weapons bans were pronounced. All target persons were displayed at large.
The results of this use confirm the protection of the constitution in its determination to continue to act consistently against illegal arms trade in the future. The DSN will continue to work closely with the LSE and judicial authorities. The results of the searches are currently being viewed and evaluated. The further investigation therefore continues.