A Birmingham man is facing more than five years in jail after importing illegal weapons that he purchased online from the Far East.
Iqbal Hussain was found to have a selection of weapons including stun guns disguised as mobile phones and CS spray at his Aston address after officers executed a warrant.
Hussain was identified as a threat after National Crime Agency officers intercepted a package at an international mail hub in Coventry on 21 October that was destined for his Whitehead Road home.
Despite a cover note claiming it contained 20 mini LED torches, inside the box were 15 CS sprays and 10 electronic stun gun devices.
West Midlands Police were contacted and immediately after the package was delivered officers swooped, seized the items and arrested the 29-year-old.
Just over a week later a second parcel, sent from Singapore, was intercepted by the UK Borders Agency in Langley, Heathrow. Again it was addressed to Hussain and contained five more CS sprays.
All of the items were found to be prohibited weapons and when he answered bail on 26 March a further search of an outbuilding at his address found more weapons including a number of knuckle dusters and police style batons − all imported from China.
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Initially following his arrest he denied ordering the products but later changed his story and said he purchased them to display in his shed.
Appearing at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday 15 August Hussain pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to five years and five months behind bars.
Detective Constable Paul Smith, from Force CID, said: “All of the items that Hussain had imported were capable of inflicting serious injury against others.
“He had a selection of prohibited weapons at his home and will rightly spend a lengthy amount of time behind bars.
“Ordering things like this from the internet is illegal and unacceptable − if you know of anyone who has done this you can contact us on 101 or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.”
