Smugglers
The weapons smugglers are a loosely organized group, with ties to a variety of terrorist organizations (members of whose cells make up some elements of the smuggling ring). While ideologically tied to a number of smuggles in the Middle East, the primary motive is monetary; was makes good business, and these folks are in the business of making war. What started as a simple smuggling operation, though, has developed into a far more dangerous research and development group, as the leaders have funneled the profits of their activities into developing weapons of mass destruction.
With ties to both the Mountain Men and Olson's South African mercenaries, they served as the middlemen for the delivery of the nuclear bomb, taking it from Derek Olson and delivering it to Baltimore. They are not aware of what, exactly, it is that they transported, and thus not prepared for the reaction that comes. In the Operation Barren Garden, the Hostage Rescue Team raids the warehouse facility in Haifa from which the nuclear bomb was shipped. In the Operation Janus Knife, he takes out the development facility for the weapons of mass destruction. And in the Operation Tiger Shell, he takes out the nominal leader of the group (and his arms cache) at the ruined prison.
The smugglers have access to a great deal more firepower than the Mountain Men. They use a variety of military hardware, from assault rifles to grenades to submachine guns and sniper rifles. They dress in military uniforms inside their compounds, but use more civilian dress where they are exposed to scrutiny (at gates, guard posts, etc.). They tend to wear light or medium body armor depending on their role.
The smugglers have three well-defined roles:
- Security guards who wear light body armor, use automatic weapons, and dress more like civilian security types.
- Soldiers who wear medium body armor, carry heavier firepower weapons, and dress in uniforms.
- Workers who wear light body armor and carry pistols.