German law enforcement has conducted a nation-wide operation against a far-right group, seizing weapons and Nazi-themed memorabilia from its members. Around 40 people are under investigation, police confirmed.

Around 200 police officers, including special ops, took part in the operation, searching 12 addresses across eight German states, prosecutors of Baden-Wurttemberg said on Wednesday. Law enforcement targeted a far-right group which calls itself the National Socialist Knights of the Ku Klux Klan Deutschland.

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“The members are united in their right-wing orientation, which includes a glorification of National Socialism,” investigators stated.

A cache of Nazi-themed memorabilia and around 100 weapons were seized, including gas pistols with ammunition, airsoft guns, various knives, swords, slingshots, and even throwing stars. Apart from that, police confiscated computers and digital storage devices, as well as documents, to further dig into the group’s organization and size.

The operation targeted 17 suspects aged between 17 and 59, though the whole investigation involves 40 individuals from all across Germany. No arrests have been made so far, according to local media, citing prosecutors.

The group was apparently well-organized and tried to keep its activities secret.

Members preferred to communicate via social media, recruiting new members online. The Knights’ members have been paying monthly fees to finance the group’s activities, it is said. At this point, however, there is no data on links to other KKK organizations.

The Ku Klux Klan – a white supremacist organization originating in the US – has been active in Germany since the 1920s. In the past, US Klan leaders visited the country, taking part in events staged by local chapters.

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Currently, the German KKK is believed to be small in number and largely marginalized, yet a handful of minor chapters still operate. So far, investigators have not uncovered any links between the Knights and other KKK-related groups abroad.

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