Fife man jailed for importing illegal handgun by post after Edinburgh parcel depot discovery

A man from Kirkcaldy has been jailed for over two years for trying to bring an illegal firearm into the country by post, following a joint National Crime Agency and Police Scotland investigation.
During a search a handgun was recovered from the living room, along with further rounds of ammunition.Picture: National Crime AgencyDuring a search a handgun was recovered from the living room, along with further rounds of ammunition.Picture: National Crime Agency
During a search a handgun was recovered from the living room, along with further rounds of ammunition.Picture: National Crime Agency

On May 31, NCA and Police Scotland investigators raided the 33-year-old’s property and arrested him on suspicion of importing firearms.During the search, a handgun was recovered from the living room, along with further rounds of ammunition.

The gun was a blank firing weapon, but work had been started to convert it to fire live ammunition.Later that day, another handgun, which was due to be delivered to his address, was seized in the mail system.

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The truck driver asked for the package to be delivered at his home address on Cook Street, in Kirkcaldy. Picture: GoogleThe truck driver asked for the package to be delivered at his home address on Cook Street, in Kirkcaldy. Picture: Google
The truck driver asked for the package to be delivered at his home address on Cook Street, in Kirkcaldy. Picture: Google
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Officers from the Organised Crime Partnership unit were called after a box containing 50 rounds of ammunition was seized by Border Force officers at a distribution hub in Edinburgh, who were checking incoming parcels.

The truck driver from Kirkcaldy, John Stewart, had sent for the package to be delivered at his home address on Cook Street, in Kirkcaldy.

Mr Stewart was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh after admitting importing and possessing firearms.The NCA’s John McGowan, operations manager for the Organised Crime Partnership, said: “The importation of firearms into the UK through post and fast parcel is a known threat we are actively targeting.“What we see, and what happened here, is blank firing weapons, which are legal elsewhere, being illegally imported into the UK and then converted to fire live ammunition.“Keeping these sort of weapons out of the hands of criminals is a priority for the Organised Crime Partnership, and we’re determined to do all we can with our partners to disrupt that supply line and protect the public.”Detective Inspector Tom Gillan, Organised Crime Partnership (Scotland), said: “We have recovered over 40 firearms across Scotland since 2018 and we will continue our operations and investigations in our aim to take dangerous weapons off our streets.“Targeting those who attempt to jeopardise the safety of our communities will continue to be a top priority for the OCP, supported by local divisions.”