Last month police in Brazil raided an illicit workshop in the city of Belo Horizonte which was producing submachine guns for large scale criminal distribution, each gun apparently being sold for 3,500 BRL (around $1000 US) through a WhatsApp group. A 68 year old man who worked as Santa Claus in the city’s malls along with his step son (and presumably his chief elf) were arrested. Along with 19 submachine guns and manufacturing equipment police seized 7.62 kilos of cocaine and 10,000 US dollars.

The same ultra crude model of submachine gun has been widely seized by police in Brazil over the last couple of years suggesting that a large number were being produced. These guns usually feature a trigger unit cut out from plastic and a barrel and bolt made from brass bar. Automatic firearms as crude as these do well in illustrating the pipe dream of prohibition.

The SMGs above were seized in Minas Gerais this year.