Firearm Seizures Nearly Doubled at UK Airports
Joe Cortez September 10, 2014
Border Force officials at airports across the U.K. were kept busy this year, confiscating more illicit and illegally imported substances than previously recorded.
According to statistics compiled by international shipping company Barrington Freight, firearm and alcohol seizures at British airports have increased significantly since 2011. Statistics obtained from the U.K. Home Office reveal that 605 firearms were seized at airports across the country within the last year. This is up from 412 firearms seized during the same period between 2012 and 2013, and nearly double the number of seizures between 2011 and 2012.
The Freedom of Information Act request made by Barrington Freight notes that the definition of firearms includes both air- and gas-powered guns, realistic imitation guns and readily convertible guns.
While firearms seizures were up, alcohol seizures were on the decline. According to statistics, nearly 15 million gallons of alcohol, including wine, beer and liquor, were seized at airports across the U.K. The amount of alcohol seized is estimated by the U.K. Home Office to be worth $185 million in protected revenue.
Tobacco seizures also continued to trend downward, reaching a 4-year low. Combining cigarette and hand-rolling tobacco, seizures between 2013 and 2014 accounted for an estimated $242 million in protected revenue.
The information gathered by Barrington Freight’s report went on to note a number of unusual seizures in 2014 as well, including counterfeit soccer jerseys, fake CDs and various live animals.
[Photo: iStock]
BOLLOX. The law changed at the start of the year, making AIR GUNS over a certain KJ rating illegal. Websites were slow to update and continued to sell illegal air guns to UK buyers.
As carrying a Hand Gun in the UK is virtually illegal why show a picture of something that is unlikely to be part of the haul..Unless of course these were Hand Guns seized in Transit.
They are not firearms therefore cannot be classified as such. I understand the security aspect of the whole thing but to blatantly twist the truth is taking it too far. Where does it end?
I don't find anything surprising about that definition of firearms at all. Perfectly sensible.
"the definition of firearms includes both air- and gas-powered guns, realistic imitation guns and readily convertible guns." So not actually firearms then? Way to pad the statistics... This from a country that has all but banned the ownership of guns.