Eight French suspects have been formally accused after police dismantled a suspected firearms trafficking pipeline between France and Belgium, prosecutors in Charleville-Mézières said. During a coordinated operation between French and Belgian authorities on Tuesday, police arrested nine people and seized 178 firearms and 370 kg of ammunition, according to the prosecutor’s office. The suspects were presented to an investigating judge at the Tribunal judiciaire in Charleville-Mézières on Friday. Arms seized included firearms across multiple categories, ranging from weapons subject to simple declaration to firearms and war weapons. Investigators said the case began after reports filed in late 2025 about “suspect” activity involving a person who allegedly used firearms regularly in the Ardennes area. That prompted a preliminary investigation, led by the Reims research unit and the Sedan police brigade. Because links to Belgium were identified, an investigating process against those responsible was opened in April 2026 for suspected offenses including acquisition, possession, transport, sale, and joint dealings in war weapons and ammunition, along with money laundering and participation in a criminal association. Prosecutors said further work continues to establish the origin and traceability of the seized weapons. Of the nine people arrested, eight were French and one was a Belgian national. Four French suspects were placed in pretrial detention, while four others were put under judicial supervision. The Belgian national was due to be presented to the courts later. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to trace where the weapons came from and how they were moved.