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Kent Police has seized 21 illegally held firearms from eight addresses across the county. The illegal weapons were, it’s believed, bought on the Internet.
Two people were arrested on Friday (19 November) when 20 officers from Kent Police’s Tactical Operations unit raided addresses in Tonbridge, Ramsgate, Folkestone, Lydd, Westgate-on-Sea and two addresses in Whitstable in a dawn operation.
The weapons that have been recovered include stun guns, blank-firing imitation weapons, which can be readily converted into live weapons, plus ammunition and CS spray canisters.
The arrest warrants were executed following information received by Kent Police from the National Crime Intelligence Service (NCIS). It is the second time Kent Police have participated in Operation Bembridge, the UK-wide operation to tackle gun crime in which more than 700 addresses have been raided in total. Last June (2004) Officers from Kent Police executed warrants on behalf of the Metropolitan Police which netted a further seven weapons in Kent.
Insp Mark Arnold of Kent Police’s Tactical Operation unit said:
“We have achieved our aim of removing a significant number of dangerous weapons from circulation. Gun crime is very low in Kent, but we are not complacent and seizing illegal weapons is part of the fight.”
Under the Firearms Act 1968, it is an offence to possess stun guns, CS gas and readily convertible imitation weapons in this country even if they come from abroad. If you have bought prohibited weapons over the Internet you risk receiving a criminal record. If you have any of these type of illegal weapons or any other firearms you are not entitled to possess or no longer require, you should hand them in to the nearest police station”. |
