A woman was jailed for nine years after smuggling machine guns, ammunition and heroin into the UK through Dover.
A woman has been sentenced to nine years in prison after attempting to smuggle a cache of military-grade weapons, ammunition and heroin into the United Kingdom, authorities said.
Kasha Sanderson, 40, from Bristol, was stopped by Border Force officers at the port of Dover after arriving on a ferry from Calais, France. A search of her vehicle uncovered hidden compartments containing firearms, ammunition and drugs.
Investigators discovered 13 firearms concealed in custom-built compartments in the vehicle’s footwells. The weapons included two Skorpion submachine guns, an Uzi submachine gun, a Glock handgun and nine converted blank-firing pistols, along with 289 rounds of ammunition. Officers also seized five kilograms of heroin, estimated to have a street value of around £500,000.
Sanderson initially told investigators she believed she was transporting cannabis. However, she later admitted to smuggling firearms, ammunition and Class A drugs into the UK.
The case was investigated by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), which said the weapons were likely destined for the country’s criminal market. Authorities emphasized that the seizure prevented dangerous firearms from reaching organized crime groups.
Officials also highlighted the potential threat posed by the weapons involved, noting that automatic firearms such as Skorpion machine pistols can cause significant harm if used in criminal activity. With Sanderson’s conviction, investigators say a key courier for the smuggling operation has been removed from the supply chain.
Law enforcement agencies say the case demonstrates ongoing efforts to stop illegal firearms and drug trafficking networks operating across European borders.
Reports are sourced from official documents, law-enforcement updates, and credible investigations.
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