A man who attempted to smuggle a stash of illegal weapons into the U.K. including a crossbow, axe and imitation firearm, has been returned to Poland.
Border Force officers became suspicious as he had a large amount of luggage on him. When questioned he claimed he was in the U.K. to visit his wife and that he had a list of phone numbers including those of the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary.
His luggage was searched and officers found the array of weapons, which also included pepper spray, a pen knife, taser, a magazine to fit a 9mm imitation firearm designed to discharge gas, long silver callipers, a catapult and a compact torch baton.
Chris Philp, Minister for Immigration Compliance and the Courts, said: “This lethal hoard of weapons had the potential to cause serious harm so I am immensely grateful for the actions of Border Force officers. The seizure should act as a deterrent to anyone considering to bring weapons into the country because if they do they will be arrested.”
After the items were seized, the man was arrested by a Border Force officer and cautioned for being in possession of offensive weapons. He was also refused admission to the U.K. He then claimed he was an MI5 agent working in Germany and that this could be verified by the Prime Minister. The case was referred to Humberside Police and he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
The man was later deemed fit to face justice and, at a hearing at Hull Crown Court on November 17, pleaded guilty to five counts of being in possession of offensive weapons. He was handed a six month suspended sentence at the same court on November 19, along with a restraining order barring him from contacting a former colleague, also Polish, who works in London.
He was removed from the U.K. on Tuesday, 24 November.
Read the announcement at Border Force
