Posted on 09/30/2005 11:01:26 AM PDT by kiriath_jearim
Customs makes massive weapons seizure
Friday Sep 30 07:30 AEST
Customs officers have seized one of the largest quantities of illegal weapons ever discovered in Australia after raiding five properties in Sydney's south.
Customs said its officers raided the premises in the past two days at Hurstville and Riverwood, seizing 449 knives and daggers, 267 replica firearms and 171 electric shock devices, including stun guns.
The cache also included 86 slingshots, 88 bags of slingshot ball-bearings, 75 sword sticks and 10 blowdarts.
The seizure came after Customs intercepted two cartons containing 50 blowpipes and 12 pistol crossbows which were concealed within a sea cargo container carrying display units and novelty goods.
The items had arrived in Sydney after being shipped from Shanghai, China, in August.
"This is a massive amount of weaponry which no longer presents a threat to the Australian community," Customs NSW director David Collins said in a statement.
"These weapons have the potential to cause serious harm in the community."
People importing these types of weapons without permission faced fines of up to $275,000 and up to 10 years' jail, he said.
Charges were likely to be laid in connection with the weapons seizure, Mr Collins said.
The cache also included 86 slingshots, 88 bags of slingshot ball-bearings, 75 sword sticks and 10 blowdarts.
What did they raid? Toys-r-us?
I'd feel ever so much safer with these gone.
I notice the complete lack of firearms.
What is the dividing line between a .3 inch ball bearing and slingshot ammo?
Sticks - they seized sticks...?
Geez, this sounds like my closet when I was 12!
I was expecting to read about RPGs, AK-47s, maybe some plastic explosives!
In Britain they are trying to ban pointed steak knives now...
The cache also included 86 slingshots, 88 bags of slingshot ball-bearings, 75 sword sticks and 10 blowdarts.
The seizure came after Customs intercepted two cartons containing 50 blowpipes and 12 pistol crossbows which were concealed within a sea cargo container carrying display units and novelty goods.
Australia's Dungeons and Dragons community is in mourning.
Do they mean that they seized pointed sticks??!
I though it was a weapons seizure but this sounds more like when my mom made me clean my room when I was a kid.
You're shrinking . . . and your two little balls are shrinking with ya. And, the fact that you've got "replica" written down the side of your guns. And, the fact that I've got "Desert Eagle point 5 0" written on the side of mine, should precipitate your balls into shrinking, along with your presence. Now . . . fu** off.
Canes with concealed blades.
I understand these are peculiarly popular in Australia and Britain among low-lifes.
Kind of neat, but doesn't prevent this seizure from being a joke.
I made knives, replica firearms (and a couple of real firearms), sling shots (including a two man monster) and a cross bow before I was fifteen years old. I also made some shocking devices although that wasn't my intent.
Pachinko.
You ABSOLUTELY read my mind!
Oh those whacky Aussies & Brits. I really was thinking they got a cache of arms a la "Lord of War". RPGs, Semtex, hell maybe an APC even. Naw. Pointed sticks, replicas and slingshots... Must be intended for the local bushmen tribes in exchange for guano kitchen pots. Man, the news these days.
There must have been some rubber bands there for shooting spitballs. They are very dangerous weapons in some countries.
Thought for sure they'd get some Jedi Light Sabers.
Pathetic.
Kind of neat, but doesn't prevent this seizure from being a joke.
A very nice high end product.
One that it is illegal to carry in most states too, even some with concealed carry permits.
So9
SLINGSHOTS! The Aussies are taking away Crocodile Dundee's slingshot? ? ?
From Aussies to wussies, in one easy law. ;-(
"Australia's Dungeons and Dragons community is in mourning."
...
What ever will all those single thirty and forty something year old males do for fun now?
LOL ------- :P~
Hit the junk yard for ignition coils. We bought them for $2.00 and got a nice 20k volt jolt from 12 volts in dry cells.
Must for arming the Aborinine under ground..
Now theres a force to reckoned with.. LoL..
ROFL, either that or a middle school! Can't have untrained civilians running around with a slingshot or wooden stick. All right-thinking Australians should be proud and relieved.
Be careful, I have a cane with 12" blade in it. ;)
LOL! Sure glad those Aussies can save us from imported sling shots!
In the late 50's I made a crossbow from a leaf spring of a 49 Ford. When I sent a bolt through the garage door my father put a swift and lasting end to my weapons manufacturing efforts.
I think this is what they confiscated:
LOL! Mine too! This stuff cracks me up. Where's Earthworm Dundee when you need him?
Nice catch. I was thinking those very words when I read the post.
Very funny movie.
"Bloody southerners."
"Careful! This haircut cost me 25 bob."
"Watch your language around the kid."
And on and on.........
Australia does have some stupid weapons laws, certainly, but this case relates to smuggling and illegal importation - not to the legality or otherwise of the items that were smuggled.
Most (possibly all) of these items are legal if a person has the correct paperwork - and while that's not a good situation, it is different from the items actually being illegal.
But this was a Customs raid - based on illegal importation. Such raids occur quite often, I know of one recently where they seized a large number of handbags.
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