R9 Arms strikes again (United Kingdom)

“Polish nationals Lukasz Kur & Rafal Anyszek were intercepted at Dover Eastern Docks freight controls on Friday morning by Border Force officers and referred to the NCA for investigation. A search of the HGV & trailer revealed 20 handguns, 1,000 rounds of ammunition and a variety of Class A drugs. ” National Crime Agency

Shown on the left is a high quality illicitly produced 9mm machine pistol which has been seized from organized crime gangs on a number of occasions across Europe, usually branded with the fake company name ‘R9-Arms’ along with ‘Made in the USA’. The likely origin of these is probably an illicit gun factory operating in Croatia, owing to its history of manufacturing illicit UZI copies as well as a large number of the weapons being seized there back in 2015.

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Kolkata police uncover illegal handgun workshop

Another illicit factory uncovered producing automatic pistol copies typical of the region. This is part of a growing trend towards more advanced criminal arms production in India.

“Acting on a tip off, Kolkata Police’s Special Task Force (STF) apprehended three persons while dealing in Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) and illegal arms on Monday. In the process, they also busted an illegal arms unit in Barackpore.

Three persons – Suku Sheikh, Md. Amjad Rayeen and Md. Abdullla were apprehended by the FICN team of STF from Maidan Police Station limits. As many as 40 semi-finished improvised arms and fake notes worth worth Rs. 1 lakh was seized from their possession.

However, this was just the tip of the iceberg. Further questioning and examination of these three arrested led investigators to an illegal arms manufacturing unit at Jaggatdal under Barrackpore Police Commissionerate. Investigators unearthed this illegal arms manufacturing unit where 20 semi-finished improvised arms, drilling machine, lathe machine, raw materials and equipments were recovered. Six others who were working at this manufacturing unit were also arrested.

According to sources, the arms that were being made here were 7mm and 9mm pistols. The consignment compromising 20 semi-finished arms was meant for Bihar.”

Craft production of firearms in Nigeria

Small Arms Survey have released a new paper documenting the widespread illegal production of improvised / craft-made firearms across Nigeria. The study found that these weapons account for around 32 per cent of firearms-related crime in Adamawa state to a staggering 69 per cent in Plateau state. Along with exploding crime rates, the demand for firearms to equip community defense groups increased drastically following the Boko Haram insurgency with many having to resort to equipping themselves with locally produced weapons such as ‘dane guns’ (Locally hand-made muzzleloading percussion-lock long-guns) and break barrel shotgun copies long used by traditional hunting and tribal groups. More recently illicit gunsmiths have progressed to producing more sophisticated weapons including submachine guns and self-loading pistols utilizing simple sheet metal fabrication methods. Like swords and bows & arrows, firearms are simple devices dating back 800 years which can be produced by anyone and aren’t going to ever go away.

New Small Arms Survey Briefing Paper: Craft weapons used in significant proportions of firearm-related crime in four Nigerian states

Locally made pistols seized by Indian Army Eastern Command

Pictured are various locally craft-produced pistols recently seized by the Eastern Command of the Indian Army. Some are widely seized indigenous models while others may possibly originate from Pakistan or China.

Above: An example shown alongside improvised .22 rimfire ammunition, a trait more typical of pistols produced by illicit gunsmiths in China.

Above: A widely seized design of semi-automatic pistol produced by gunsmiths mainly in Uttar Pradesh. Along with very bad attempted Beretta markings the laminate flooring company’s logo is still visible on the grip panel.

Above: Note the serial number stamped below the grip panel which judging from the low number could possibly be for the maker’s own reference rather than inflated.

Above: Telltale brazing marks on the slide and frame suggest multi-part construction of main components.

Improvised revolvers:

EasternCommand_IA

Homemade pistol & silencer (Australia)

A homemade ‘PPK’ look-alike pistol along with a silencer seized by New South Wales Police in October.

Illegal arms factory busted in Kolkata India

A backyard illegal arms workshop producing .32 semi-automatic pistols busted in Tiljala. 8 pistols, 50 rds of ammunition, 16 magazines, machines tools recovered. Four suspects arrested. (Kolkata police)

Thai made 1911 copy

A copy of the .45 Colt 1911 with MKIV Series 70 markings locally made in Thailand . The barrel bushing on this example is retained by a screw.