Man sentenced for possession of deadly rifles

A man found in possession of two powerful assault rifles has been jailed for six years at Kingston Crown Court. Mohammed Ismail, 29, Upper Edmonton concealed the weapons, capable of firing a distance of 460m, in a bedroom wardrobe at his home.

He was sentenced on Friday 8 June after pleading guilty to possession of prohibited weapons at an earlier hearing on 10 May.

The weapons were recovered by officers from the Metropolitan Police Service Central Task Force as part of a pre-planned and intelligence-led operation.  Inside a wardrobe in the spare bedroom officers discovered a Belgian Fabrique Nationale assault rifle capable of fully automatic fire, and L1A1 self-loading rifle capable of semi-automatic fire.

Ismail was arrested at his home address and subsequently charged with two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon. He was today sentenced to six years for each count – to run concurrently.

Officers believe he may have been storing the weapons for other individuals, with his premises being used as a safe house.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Wagstaff, Central Task Force, said: “My officers are constantly seeking to target the upper echelons of organised crime linked to the supply of firearms to gang members within London’s Boroughs. This is an excellent example of their expertise in supporting the efforts of borough and Trident teams in tackling gang violence.

“The self-loading rifle is an extremely devastating assault rifle and this seizure means that two more live weapons have been taken off thestreets of London.”

A 23-year-old woman also arrested in connection with the investigation remains on bail.