A gang of smugglers are to be sentenced after they were caught with an arsenal of weapons including handguns and thousands of bullets hidden inside specially adapted lorry engines, The Sun reports.
Denis Kolencukov, Steven Spires and Michael Nicholls smuggled 89 handguns via the Channel Tunnel.
Kolencukov arranged for a courier to deliver the guns to Spires and Nicholls, once they arrived in the UK but UK officials discovered their scheme and worked with Border Force officers in France to bring them to justice.
Blackfriars Crown Court heard how the gang stashed the 4mm and 6mm handguns and ammunition in specially adapted lorry engine blocks.
Adapted lorry engine blocks
DI John Nolan of the Organised Crime Partnership said: “Kolencukov was the driving force behind the importation a vast number of these extremely dangerous firearms.
“Not only were they viable weapons, they were packaged up with thousands of rounds of ammunition and I have no doubt that they were being brought into the UK for the sole purpose of causing serious and fatal injuries.
Kolencukov admitted a string of firearms offences including conspiracy to import firearms and conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Spires was found guilty of possession of firearms and Nicholls was convicted of possession of firearms and conspiracy to import firearms.
All three men are to be sentenced at Blackfriars Crown Court on August 3.