Police warn of net-related gun crime

 

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By Barry Collins

Posted on 9 Jun 2008 at 12:04

A new police report warns that UK criminals are buying or reactivating guns over the internet.

The Serious Organised Crime Agency's (SOCA) UK Threat Assessment says criminals who can't buy guns on the streets are sourcing them online.

"Firearms and their component parts are sourced from internet sites, usually from countries where possession is legal, such as the USA," the report states. "The internet provides an alternative source of firearms and has made certain categories of firearms more accessible to UK buyers who lack the right criminal contacts."

The report also claims that criminals are able to reactivate weapons by following basic instructions on the web. This is a particular problem for guns that were deactivated in the late 1980s, when the standards for deactivating weapons were minimal. "It is clear that the reactivation of firearms deactivated to the 1988 standard is within the capabilities of many criminals, including some who sell reactivation as a service to associates and others who obtain the necessary know-how via the internet," the report claims.

PC Pro managed to find instructions on how to reactivate guns with a quick Google search.