Antiques dealer ‘supplied bullets that were used in gangland killings’
Ammunition used in 90 shootings came from secret armouries in the suspect’s home, court told
AN ANTIQUE firearms dealer supplied guns and ammunition to the criminal underworld which were used in two murders and more than 90 shootings, a court heard.
Paul Edmunds, 65, used his “encyclopaedic knowledge” of firearms legislation to import hundreds of pre-war handguns from the United States before making tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition in the garage and bedroom of his home near the Cotswolds, the court was told. He then allegedly supplied weapons and ammunition to gangsters in the West Midlands “almost upon demand”.
Mr Edmunds, of Hardwicke, Glos, went on trial accused of conspiracy to supply firearms and ammunition at Birmingham Crown Court yesterday. He also faces two other firearms charges and two charges of perverting the course of justice.
The court heard Mr Edmunds was caught after the National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NABIS) noticed a growing number of pre-war handguns at crime scenes, including several fatal shootings. It was able to arrest and convict a gang involved in supplying the firearms with the specially made ammunition.
Experts at NABIS realised tool markings on the ammunition matched those they had recovered over several years and set up Operation Gold Dust.
Andrew Fisher QC, prosecuting, said enquiries led them to Mr Edmunds, who was found to be making the ammunition in his garage, attic and bedroom. The court heard Mr Edmunds was a licensed or registered firearms dealer who was permitted to possess handguns as well as rifles and shotguns.
“Plainly he has an expertise and almost encyclopaedic knowledge of guns and ammunition,” Mr Fisher said.
“He has used his knowledge and status as a registered firearms dealer to get around the legislation controlling firearms and it has now become clear has been supplying guns and ammunition wholly unlawfully for many years.” Po- lice discovered tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition and tools for making bullets for almost every calibre of gun at Mr Edmunds’s home. Numerous guns were also recovered, with only some held properly under the terms of his dealer’s licence.
“His home contained in effect three separate armouries,” Mr Fisher said.
“The principal one was in his garage and this was the only one known to and inspected by the authorities. The police discovered a second one in a bedroom where he undertook some of the modifications for the specially adapted ammunition and a third one which was more of a store in the attic. All the specially made or adapted ammunition recovered by the police in the 90 plus recoveries from crime scenes matched ammunition found at Edmunds’ house.”
One of the matches was from the shooting at a police helicopter during the London riots in 2011, he said.
Mr Edmunds had imported hundreds of guns from the United States without putting them on his Firearms Register, the court was told. Mr Fisher said the dealer spent more than $400,000 (£320,000) on firearms he imported between 2009 and 2015.
Mr Edmunds allegedly supplied the guns and his specially made ammunition through a middle man called Mohinder Surdhar.
Mr Fisher said: “Mohinder Surdhar is a firearms certificates holder, permitted to possess rifles and shotguns but not handguns. It is now clear that Surdhar was supplying the organised crime group with the guns and ammunition.
“Surdhar, who has admitted his involvement and pleaded guilty to this same conspiracy upon which you are trying Mr Edmunds, obtained the guns from various sources including Mr Edmunds and the specially made or adapted ammunition from Edmunds.”
Mr Edmunds denies five charges including conspiracy to supply firearms and ammunition.
The trial continues.