• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Must Reads Broken Britain

Man tried to smuggle assault rifle into Britain

Marek Platko, 28, had arranged for the 'self-loading' gun to be sent into the UK by having it carefully stashed inside a van

SWNS by SWNS
2018-12-20 15:08
in Broken Britain, Must Reads
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

An East European criminal who tried to smuggle an assault rifle into Britain has been jailed for 22 years.

Marek Platko, 28, a Slovakian national, had arranged for the ‘self-loading’ gun to be sent into the UK by having it carefully stashed inside a van.

Platko who was living in Anfield, Liverpool, when he concocted a plan to smuggle a massive amount of arms over the Channel.

Border Force officers stopped a van coming through Dover in April and searched it – before putting it through a vehicle scanner.

The driver, Peter Kral, also from Slovakia, claimed he had been to the Czech Republic to pick up a racing buggy for his boss.

But a foam-filled concealment in the front of the van contained a self-loading, semi-automatic gun – and a huge stash of bullets.

RelatedPosts

Gay couple sent homophobic abuse after erecting pride flag outside shop – villagers have rallied around

Speedboat owner who ‘corralled’ pod of dolphins convicted in first prosecution under national clampdown

Meet the UK’s super dogs… including a mastiff and Staffordshire bull terrier cross which alerted its owner to cancer

Two ‘louts’ kicked Asian taxi driver to death after he asked them to stop eating food in cab

National Crime Agency (NCA) investigators were called after officers discovered a eight kilos of loose ammunition and two magazines.

Kral’s phone was full of text messages from Platko – one of which translated as ‘the foam is still drying up’ – leading to his arrest.

Two days later, Platko arrived at Liverpool Airport from Prague where he was busted by NCA officers and remanded in custody.

Kral, 41, stood trial alongside Platko last week at Canterbury Crown Court, – but was acquitted.

A Czech man, Radek Dobias, 38, who was living in Bootle, Merseyside, is also wanted for questioning in connection with the importation.

Darren Herbert, of the NCA, said: “The gun and ammunition seized as part of this investigation had the potential to cause untold damage had they found their way into criminal hands.

“For this reason, the criminal use of firearms is a priority threat for the NCA and wider UK law enforcement.

“The NCA works closely with Border Force as well as international partners to disrupt the flow of firearms into the UK.”

Nick Drinkal, Deputy Director of Border Force South East and Europe said: “This was a highly sophisticated concealment in a van that had been specifically modified for smuggling purposes.

“This case demonstrates not only the value of the training and expertise of the Border Force officers who detected these items it also demonstrates the commitment and dedication by Border Force to protect communities across the UK from this type of crime.

“We are determined to prevent deadly weapons such as these from reaching the UK’s streets – our work led to the seizure of more than 10,000 offensive weapons last year.”

By Daniel Hammond

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

Expect queues outside food banks this Christmas as universal credit shake-up plunges families into poverty

Boris Johnson set to increase UK troops in Europe to send ‘clear message’

Piers Corbyn exploits Everard trial to protest Covid laws outside court

Emuexit! Emu called Farage escapes into the streets of Essex

UK export growth slows while European exporters flourish

‘Very disappointed’ Starmer urges Corbyn to ‘reflect’ on his response to anti-Semitism report

Four in ten Brits are ‘social tourists’, new research reveals

Corbyn takes lead over May in poll of who would make best PM

London tops “dirty dining destinations”

Boris ‘fighting losing battle’ against Partygate scandal, says top pollster

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.