Underground Arms Watch – February 2021 -The Firearm Blog

Welcome back to Underground Arms Watch. Catching up into the new year, we continue our look at some of the black market bootleg weapons seized worldwide within the last few months.

First up is an interesting pistol seized in Liverpool, UK by Merseyside Police. It appears similar to pistols seen seized from illegal workshops in India or perhaps even the product of Darra Adam Khel. It is also possible the pistol may also have been produced in an illegal workshop in the UK, such as was the case with FN 1922 copies being produced in a workshop in an industrial estate in Hailsham, Sussex which was raided by police in 2019.

Photo: Merseyside Police

From Australia we see another auto-switched Glock, quite a common trend in recent years, although this time seen on a 26 model.

A full auto converted Glock 26 seized in October last year. Photo: Australian Federal Police.

An interesting locally made rifle seized from NPA (Maoist) rebels in Davao, Philippines:

DAVAO ORIENTAL — A civilian tip-off led to the discovery of high-powered firearm hidden by the communist NPA (New People’s Army) Terrorists (CNTs) in the hinterlands of Sitio Batobato in Davao Oriental on Saturday, Oct. 17.

Troops of the 66th Infantry Battalion discovered the high-powered firearm after a local resident tipped off the location of the arms cache in Tubaon village, Tarragona.

A combined military and police scoured the area and discovered the 5.56mm rifle and 20 cap magazine loaded with seven rounds of 5.56mm ammunition. KalinawNews

Another instance of the mysterious locally made ‘Nigerian Assault rifle’ appearing in a police bust of gun-runners.

Photo: Blueprint.ng

Kaduna state police command has arrested two suspected gun dealers and a third suspect with locally made AK47 rifle, the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige has said.
Speaking on Thursday, Jalige said, “On 14th October, 2020 at about 1530hrs operatives of the Kaduna Police Command while on routine stop and search at Kwanta Shiru Village along Kaduna-Kachia Road succeeded in arresting one Yakubu Maigida of Chibiya Village, Kachia LGA Kaduna state and recovered a locally made AK47 rifle concealed under his motorcycle with the view to evade the eagle eyes of the security.

“Upon interrogation, the suspect gave useful information on the source of the firearm. Subsequently, the operatives, acting on the information, swung into action and arrested the arm dealer one Saidu Daniel Buzu (m) of Asako Village Kachia and recovered in his custody; a single barrel rifle, one locally made Pistol, two AK47 magazine, one cartridge and sum of N27, 000. Blueprint.ng

Two local craft made semi-automatic pistol seized by police in Nagaland, India. The quality of examples seized appears to improve each year.

Photo: nagalandexpress.com

From Britain. Someone’s carry piece was a quad barrel Louis Vuitton zip gun:

Photo: British Transport Police

A cartridge conversion of a cap & ball revolver seized by Greater Manchester Police. It would be interesting to know if this is a period conversion, a modern conversion of an antique or modified modern reproduction.

The popular GB-22 DIY pistol design spotted in Russia:

In the Vokhomsky district, police detained a 28-year-old local resident who designed and manufactured a working pistol, according to the information and public relations department of the regional Ministry of Internal Affairs.

From operational sources, law enforcement officers learned that a young man regularly tests firearms in his yard. The police paid him a visit, during which they found and seized a homemade pistol. The man confessed that he made parts for him at work, where he had a lathe and welding equipment at his disposal. According to him, he needed a pistol to protect him from wild animals, which often began to go to human habitation. For the manufacture and storage of weapons against the suspect, two criminal cases were initiated. Logos

A seriously abused rifle seized by RCMP:

Police say multiple charges have been laid against a man allegedly found possessing a modified semi-automatic rifle in Whalley.

Surrey RCMP Corporal Joanie Sidhu said a Mountie on patrol came across a stopped taxi with its hazard lights on at 105A Avenue and King George Boulevard. This was shortly after 7:00 p.m. on Nov. 7.

She said the taxi driver was “struggling to deal with an intoxicated man in the rear seat of the taxi. The officer assisted and ultimately arrested the man for causing a disturbance and public intoxication.

“As the investigation progressed, the officer located and seized a modified SKS rifle (semi-automatic carbine) in the man’s belongings.” North Delta Reporter

A ‘snub-nosed’ homemade submachine gun seized in Minas Gerais, Brazil on the 3rd of Jan.

A number of AKs and Makarov’s seized along with improvised firearms in Bahrain.

Photo: twitter.com/AsstSecPM

A slam fire shotgun seized in December in Seattle’s China Town district. (Seattle Police Department):

A zip gun made from a mini Maglite seized by New South Wales Police in Australia:

Perhaps the first of many to come, a Hi-Point with a ‘Lo-Point’ 3D printed frame was spotted among pistols handed into a Chicago gun Buy Back in December.

Photo: Chicago Police

Another 3D printed frame was spotted on a handgun seized by Montgomery County Police in Maryland on January 5th:

An FGC-9 (a mostly 3D printable 9mm carbine) reportedly offered for sale on a black market telegram channel from a vendor in the Netherlands with an asking price of 2500 Euros (3030 USD).