Gun-smugglers in M23 police pursuit jailed

TWO men have been jailed for a total of 28 years after smuggling guns into the UK by using magnets to attach them to a tourist coach.

Mark Maynard, 30, and Nicholas Barbary, 28, imported two sub-machine guns, one of which was loaded, and a loaded Luger pistol from Europe to the UK. Using strong magnets they attached the weapons to the underside of a tourist coach heading to Britain.

They also attached an electronic tracker device so that they could follow the vehicle back to its depot in Coventry. Both men then collected the guns, again attaching them to the underside of their van using magnets.

But they were stopped by police while driving back to their base in Crawley, West Sussex. Officers who had been following the men forced their van off the M23 in a planned manoeuvre. The tactical pursuit, which involved more than 10 police cars, brought the busy motorway to a standstill last January.

When police searched the van they found the three guns, plus a silencer and a package of ammunition containing 13 live rounds for the pistol and 166 live rounds for the sub-machine gun.

A Crown Prosecution Service spokesman said: “These loaded weapons clearly had potential to kill. The CPS worked closely with Sussex Police to build a strong case against both men, leaving them with no choice but to plead guilty.”

Both men admitted importation and possession of weapons with intent to endanger life.

Maynard received 16 years and two months in prison, while Barbary received 12 years. Both men will have an extended licence period of four years.