MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Tanriverdi was arrested on treason charges for attempting to sell industrial designs of the MPT-76 rifle to a US company for $1.2 million, the Haber Port newspaper said.
The director was caught red-handed by Turkish intelligence officers posing as US company representatives. The company had alerted Turkish authorities of the director's plan to sell rifle designs, according to the publication.
The MPT-76 rifle (National Infantry Rifle) was designed and produced by MKEK in an effort to replace the Turkish army's aging arsenal of Heckler & Koch G3 battle rifles. The MPT-76 entered into service with the Turkish Armed Forces in 2014.
