Detectives vow to maintain their hunt for seven missing firearms

The men who imported them are behind bars, but the deadly weapons smuggled into Yorkshire from the US remain at the centre of a live police inquiry.

The detective leading the investigation insisted it would continue until all seven of the Glock pistols which remain unaccounted for have been found.

Detective Inspector Gary Curnow, of West Yorkshire Police, said the conspirators had been given “every opportunity” to tell officers what they did with the weapons but they had refused to co-operate.

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The gang imported 12 guns in total, of which five have been recovered. Two were found by UK Border Agency officials at East Midlands Airport and US officials discovered another, along with ammunition, in Indianapolis.

Det Insp Curnow said the other two were among six weapons found to be held by an “armourer” in Greater Manchester who had connections with other organised crime groups.

He added: “This case shows organised crime is a lucrative business and the risks are such that those involved in it feel it necessary to arm themselves. It also shows how difficult it is to bring guns into the country, and any group that can do that can then ply their trade with other crime groups elsewhere in the country.”

The detective said there was no evidence to suggest that guns supplied to the Bradford-based gang had been used in other crimes. But seven shootings in the Greater Manchester area have been linked to other weapons held by the unnamed armourer.

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Det Insp Curnow said: “We don’t know exactly what all the imported guns were going to be used for.

“Criminals will often use an armourer who will sit at the centre.

“The criminals will pay to use a gun for a particular purpose and will return it to the armourer afterwards.”