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[Australian] Customs makes massive weapons seizure
National Nine News/MSN (Australia) ^ | 9/30/05 | n/a

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.


TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand; Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: arms; australia; banglist; california; ccw; china; guncontrol; gunrights; guns; india; israel; newworld; uk; usa; weapon
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1 posted on 09/30/2005 11:01:26 AM PDT by kiriath_jearim
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To: kiriath_jearim
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.

What did they raid? Toys-r-us?

2 posted on 09/30/2005 11:03:14 AM PDT by CarrotAndStick (The articles posted by me needn't necessarily reflect my opinion.)
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To: kiriath_jearim
267 replica firearms

I'd feel ever so much safer with these gone.

3 posted on 09/30/2005 11:03:21 AM PDT by niteowl77
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To: kiriath_jearim

I notice the complete lack of firearms.

What is the dividing line between a .3 inch ball bearing and slingshot ammo?


4 posted on 09/30/2005 11:04:18 AM PDT by DBrow (Hi Ezex! Still lurking?)
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To: kiriath_jearim
"The cache also included 86 slingshots"

I was childhood weapons manufacturer and dealer.
5 posted on 09/30/2005 11:04:54 AM PDT by Rebelbase (New Orleans rebuild by Mexican Labor will produce crawfish tacos and menuedo-gumbo.)
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To: kiriath_jearim
75 sword sticks

Sticks - they seized sticks...?

6 posted on 09/30/2005 11:06:20 AM PDT by 2banana (My common ground with terrorists - They want to die for Islam, and we want to kill them.)
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To: Rebelbase

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...


7 posted on 09/30/2005 11:07:00 AM PDT by mobyss
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To: kiriath_jearim
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.

Australia's Dungeons and Dragons community is in mourning.

8 posted on 09/30/2005 11:07:03 AM PDT by CzarNicky (The problem with bad ideas is that they seemed like good ideas at the time.)
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To: kiriath_jearim
"...75 sword sticks..."

Do they mean that they seized pointed sticks??!

9 posted on 09/30/2005 11:07:03 AM PDT by JMK (One of the lucky few -- escaped from NJ during the Florio years!)
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To: kiriath_jearim

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.


10 posted on 09/30/2005 11:07:03 AM PDT by cripplecreek (Never a minigun handy when you need one.)
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To: kiriath_jearim
These are your last words, so make them a prayer.

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.


11 posted on 09/30/2005 11:08:19 AM PDT by varyouga (Reformed Kerry voter (I know, I'm a frickin' idiot))
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To: DBrow
What is the dividing line between a .3 inch ball bearing and slingshot ammo?

Motivation.
12 posted on 09/30/2005 11:09:17 AM PDT by Kozak (Anti Shahada: " There is no God named Allah, and Muhammed is his False Prophet")
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To: 2banana

Canes with concealed blades.

I understand these are peculiarly popular in Australia and Britain among low-lifes.


13 posted on 09/30/2005 11:09:55 AM PDT by buwaya
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To: JMK
Do they mean that they seized pointed sticks??!

They had already trained with the Banana's...
14 posted on 09/30/2005 11:10:35 AM PDT by Kozak (Anti Shahada: " There is no God named Allah, and Muhammed is his False Prophet")
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To: JMK

Kind of neat, but doesn't prevent this seizure from being a joke.

15 posted on 09/30/2005 11:14:08 AM PDT by green iguana
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To: kiriath_jearim
I didn't see anything on the list that couldn't be made at home by most teenagers. The "electric shock devices" might take a trip to Radio Shack or an electronics supply store but no problem for one who is determined.

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.

16 posted on 09/30/2005 11:14:33 AM PDT by FreePaul
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To: Kozak

Pachinko.


17 posted on 09/30/2005 11:14:35 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks (Troubled by NOLA looting ? You ain't seen nothing yet.)
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To: varyouga

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.


18 posted on 09/30/2005 11:15:15 AM PDT by farlander
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To: kiriath_jearim

There must have been some rubber bands there for shooting spitballs. They are very dangerous weapons in some countries.


19 posted on 09/30/2005 11:16:46 AM PDT by cynicom
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To: kiriath_jearim

Thought for sure they'd get some Jedi Light Sabers.


20 posted on 09/30/2005 11:18:55 AM PDT by laredo44 (Liberty is not the problem)
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