A gun supplier from Birmingham who used a 3D printer and ammunition press to make viable weapons from parts ordered on the dark web has been jailed for 27 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Haroon Iqbal, 32, from Bramble Dell in Birmingham, made two orders for parts to be sent from the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Iqbal first requested internal parts of a Glock 17 from a seller, ordering it to arrive within a cover load of electronics and using a different identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The order was sent but intercepted on its arrival in the UK on 22 January 2022, and found to include the internal parts for the Glock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although the items weren\u2019t illegal on their own, they were forensically marked by NCA officers to ensure they could be identified. When Iqbal collected them from an address in Birmingham on 24 January, NCA investigators were watching, and the parts were recovered when Iqbal was arrested the following month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shortly after dispatching the first order, the US-based seller was arrested by US Homeland Security agents, and his phone seized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Messages found on that device, which had used the encrypted messaging service, Signal, would later show that Iqbal had asked whether the seller had ever had a shipment seized, and requested that a Christmas card was added to the package as a decoy in order to make it look legitimate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Iqbal had also instructed \u201cjust make sure it doesn\u2019t look suspicious, no glaringly obvious gun parts visible as soon as you open.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From the point of the seller\u2019s arrest, Iqbal was unknowingly communicating with undercover US investigators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On 26 January, he requested a Glock 17 barrel and automatic rifle parts. This time he requested the parts were hidden within a toolbox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He gave information to the undercover officer on how to package the second load, saying: \u201cShow the decoy and the parts that u need to put in. We\u2019ll advise how to pack.\u201d When sent a photo of the shipping label he said: \u201cBro are you feeling ok, who\u2019s going to pay 65 to ship a 1 dollar item. Are you for real\u2026 now they\u2019re definitely going to open it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Iqbal also provided a UK phone number for the package, texting: \u201cThe UK number you put on there\u2026 you should\u2019ve asked me for one\u2026 if you don\u2019t know something ask us what to put there, why are you making your own s**t up! I hope you haven\u2019t posted this yet. You\u2019re going to blow a good address if you have.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
US authorities organised for the toolbox without the barrel or rifle parts to be sent to a second address in Birmingham.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following the delivery on 28 February, NCA surveillance officers arrested Iqbal. The phone with the number used on the parcel was found in his car, and officers seized a 3D printer and an ammunition press from his business premises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Officers also found the internal parts first sent to Iqbal in January which had the forensic markings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Iqbal pleaded guilty to attempting to possess a firearm on 27th April 2022 at Birmingham Crown Court. He was sentenced at the same court today (26 May).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NCA operations manager Niall Conner said: \u201cHaroon Iqbal spoke with supreme confidence to someone he thought was a seasoned gun supplier in the US, giving detailed instructions to ensure he would receive the orders to the UK. His plans were stopped when US authorities arrested his contact and took over communication with Iqbal as he sought to arrange another delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur investigation has taken items including gun parts and a 3D printer out of circulation, which could have been used to create deadly weapons for use by organised crime groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe supply and use of firearms has a devastating impact on public safety and are used in acts of intimidation and serious violence. We will continue our work to stop those who are intent on bringing illegal firearms to our streets.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A gun supplier from Birmingham who used a 3D printer and ammunition press to make viable weapons from parts ordered on the dark web has been jailed for 27 months. Haroon Iqbal, 32, from Bramble Dell in Birmingham, made two orders for parts to be sent from the US. Iqbal first requested internal parts of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":822,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[74],"tags":[148,75,730,731,732,733,81,65,82,147,86],"class_list":["post-7828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","tag-birmingham","tag-bradford","tag-guns-made-with-3d-printer","tag-haroon-iqbal","tag-illegal-gun-crime","tag-making-gun-parts-with-3d-printer","tag-manchester","tag-midlands","tag-national","tag-nca","tag-yorkshire"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n