posted on April 20, 2004 09:04:36 AM new
Why would a anyone need to import 8000 AK 47 assault rifles into the US ??
Italy Seizes 8,000 Kalashnikovs Headed to U.S.
April 20 — ROME (Reuters) - Italian customs officers seized more than 8,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles and other weapons on a ship headed to the United States, officials said Tuesday.
The arms, worth about $7.15 million, were discovered aboard a ship arriving from Romania that pulled into the southern Italian port of Gioia Tauro on its way to the United States, Italy's customs said in a statement.
According to the travel documents, the arms belong to a large U.S. company with headquarters in the state of Georgia.
"We know that the destination was North America, but we don't effectively know if that's where the arms were going," a customs official told RAI state television.
The arms were found inside three containers during a routine customs check earlier this week. They were confiscated due to discrepancies in the customs forms, but the news was only made public Tuesday.
The customs office said the weapons had been described as "common guns" instead of assault rifles and longer-range combat arms in the travel documentation. ($1=.8390 Euro)
posted on April 20, 2004 10:35:12 AM new
They have ready demand for them, very popular with the "state" militias... personally glad they caught them... no reason for them here actually.
posted on April 20, 2004 12:04:05 PM newNot enough info & typical inflamitory headlines.
Various arms importers have been importing these type weapons from years as demilled parts kits.
The upper receiver is not included, so the weapon cannot used in as a fully automatic weapon. The replacement receiver (available only through a FFL dealer) is incapable of being made fully automatic.
Those weapons that are operational have already had the receiver replaced & will only accept a single stack magazine (5, 10 & 15 round capacity). The higher capacity double stack mags will not fit the weapon. These pre modified weapons comply to all current US BATF import regulations & may appear to be assult weapons but are not (No muzzle flash supressor, bayonet lug or hi cap mag).
So until more information is realeased, I consider this just another left wing political ploy.
'We have dispatched Dr. David Kay...to search for the bio-warfare agents we believe hidden in Senator Kerry's forehead. If Senator Kerry has used botox as part of a wrinkle enrichment program, he is in violation of UN Resolution 752. Upon receiving Dr. Kay's report, the weapons of mass destruction that Senator Kerry so adamantly insists do not exist...may well be above his very nose.'" --Dick Cheney when asked whether John Kerry has had Botox treaments
posted on April 20, 2004 12:56:09 PM new
Imagine - that TRUE statement coming from Bear
'We have dispatched Dr. David Kay...to search for the bio-warfare agents we believe hidden in Senator Kerry's forehead. If Senator Kerry has used botox as part of a wrinkle enrichment program, he is in violation of UN Resolution 752. Upon receiving Dr. Kay's report, the weapons of mass destruction that Senator Kerry so adamantly insists do not exist...may well be above his very nose.'" --Dick Cheney when asked whether John Kerry has had Botox treaments
posted on April 20, 2004 01:41:47 PM new
Oh thats right. Me either. But! if you let me know where, I'll do it, take the money and donate it to the GOP!
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"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known."- Carl Sagan
posted on April 20, 2004 04:32:48 PM new
These weapons are very popular with "sportsmen". I for one couldn't imaging taking down an elk or a deer with anything else. Where's the problem?
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posted on April 22, 2004 10:31:56 AM new
Well it appears the AK 47s were "combat grade".
Posted on Wed, Apr. 21, 2004
Italian police seize shipment of weapons headed to Georgia company
AIDAN LEWIS
Associated Press
ROME - Authorities in southern Italy seized about 7,500 Kalashnikov assault rifles and other combat-grade firearms from a ship headed for New York, officials said Tuesday.
The weapons - AK-47s, AKM rifles and machine guns worth more than $6 million - were found mixed in with properly labeled guns in cargo containers on board a Turkish-flagged ship that docked at the port of Gioia Tauro, a police official said.
Documents accompanying the cargo indicated the weapons were destined for a company in the U.S. state of Georgia, the official said, declining to name the company.
During customs controls in Italy, officials found that two of the ship's containers held combat-grade Kalashnikov rifles hidden under conventional firearms that included SKA rifles and Mauser rifles. The rifles were designated combat weapons because they had bayonets affixed and cartridges that held up to 30 rounds, the official said.
The official said police suspected the arms were being smuggled, and he declined to give the name of the Georgia company, citing the need for secrecy during the investigation.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the weapons were discovered 10 days ago, but that police delayed an announcement until they had carried out further checks.
The ship was traveling from the Romanian port of Constanta to New York.
The AK-47 rifles had been altered so they couldn't be used for rapid fire, but the alteration could be easily reversed, police said.
A 1994 ban prevents the U.S. gun industry from making, importing or selling military style semiautomatic weapons. But that law expires in September.
posted on April 22, 2004 02:44:49 PM new
And the link you conviently omitted is?
"The Secret Service has announced it is doubling its protection for John Kerry. You can understand why — with two positions on every issue, he has twice as many people mad at him." —Jay Leno
posted on April 22, 2004 03:13:05 PM new
If you read it on your little computer screen, there must be a link AP link SOMEWHERE, it didn't just appear by magic genie for you. Or maybe it did.
"The Secret Service has announced it is doubling its protection for John Kerry. You can understand why — with two positions on every issue, he has twice as many people mad at him." —Jay Leno
