More than 100 deadly firearms seized from gangs

The officer leading the fight against gangs has said the recoveries have ‘undoubtedly saved lives’.

The haul includes deadly handguns, sawn-off shotguns and even a semi-automatic pistol that was forensically linked to a fatal shooting in Nottingham six years earlier.

And officers working in the Birmingham Organised Crime & Gangs Unit have also seized a crudely constructed homemade shotgun made out of two pieces of steel tubing to fire the deadly cartridges.

Detective inspector Al Teague heads up the unit, which seizes around one gun every other day.

He said: “Taking 104 firearms off the streets and out of the reach of dangerous criminals is a great achievement for the force: it shows that we’re acting on quality intelligence to target the right people.

“That’s on average about one gun West Midlands Police is seizing every other day and there is no doubt in my mind that this work is saving lives.”

The seizures include a sawn-off shotgun and bullet-proof vest found in the loft of Lee McDonald’s home in Hillsmead Road, Kings Norton, during a West Midlands Police raid on 15 March.

He was later jailed for eight years.

Ryan Kopacz is also now behind bars after the force executed a warrant at his Barretts Road home – also in Kings Norton – on April 12 where one handgun was found in a cupboard under the stairs and another in an outside shelter. He was given a five-year prison sentence.

And last week mother-of-two Selina Jarrett was jailed for five years after the Gangs Unit found a loaded Glock semi-automatic pistol stashed in a hallway cupboard of her home in Bellevue, Edgbaston, on March 16.

Ballistics experts test fired the pistol and microscopic examination of the bullet markings indicated the same weapon was used in the fatal shooting of Malakai McKenzie in Nottingham on April 21 in 2012.

Det Insp Teague added: “The mini Glock, an American make, is not a firearm we commonly recover. It is a highly effective weapon and would be worth thousands on the black market, especially with the ammunition it had with it.

“I’ve no doubt that the recovery of that weapon has prevented people from being seriously injured and even possible further murders.

“Each one of the rounds recovered constitutes a potential murder that we’ve now prevented.”

February saw the most firearms recovered in a single month this year – with a total of 15 being found – followed by May, which had 14, and March, 13.

Three firearms have so far been seized during October.

Anyone who suspects someone is in possession of an illegal firearm, or is storing one at their home, is asked to call the force on 999 in an emergency or 101.

People can also call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Callers will not be asked their name and the call cannot be traced.