Loaded assault rifle seized following London vehicle stop
Officers from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) have seized a fully-automatic assault rifle during a vehicle stop in south London.
The weapon was recovered at around 5pm on Thursday (March 7) when a team from the MPS Trident and Area Crime Command and armed response vehicles stopped two vehicles in Peckham, south London.
An Armi Jaegar AP80 .22 rifle with a loaded magazine was found in the boot of one of the vehicles. The weapon, which is designed to resemble the notorious AK-47 assault rifle, uses smaller calibre ammunition but this model is believed to have been converted to fully automatic fire.
Two males, aged 50 and 77, were arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life. The 50-year-old resisted arrest; a Taser was deployed and discharged by armed officers. He was treated for minor injuries in hospital and has since been released into custody.
The 77-year-old also remains in custody at a local police station.
Detective Chief Inspector James Harper of the Trident and Area Crime Command, said: “I have no doubt that removing this weapon from circulation has prevented death or serious injury. Trident officers will continue to work tirelessly to disrupt and detect such criminality.”
