Posted on 09/27/2022 8:07:56 AM PDT by Chode
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Federal authorities are trying to figure out how at least a dozen fully-automatic M16s ended up among military surplus equipment sold to a Houston couple.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) executed a search warrant in a Richmond-area storage facility on Monday afternoon. However, that only came after the couple voluntarily notified authorities of their highly-unusual find.
Last week, the couple, who run a side hustle of buying surplus lots, dividing up the products, and reselling them on eBay, received delivery of 108 storage cases sold by a government surplus website. Over the weekend, a friend helped the couple stack and store the cases. As a thank you, they gave one of the cases to the friend.
When that friend opened the case, he realized it was not empty. Inside were 12 fully-automatic M-16s, all of them still with various tags designating the military branch and name of service members who handled the weapons.
"We just purchased these cases. We never expected anything in there," said the husband, who did not want to be identified. "Supposedly, the sender should check every single box to make sure there's nothing dangerous or anything."
"It's just a case, everybody can buy it online," the wife said.
Unsure of what to do, the couple reported the M-16s to authorities. Within hours, ATF and FBI agents seized the one open box with the 12 weapons. Shortly thereafter, the ATF obtained a search warrant for the couple's storage unit. They spent most of Monday on location, going through the boxes.
ABC13 was the only news outlet on scene. We observed agents opening, closing, and stacking multiple gun cases.
"It's incredible. It's surreal," said Greg Fremin, a one-time Houston police captain and Marine.
ABC13 reached out to Fremin, who is now a faculty member at Sam Houston State University, about how dangerous it is to have random military equipment floating around.
"It's unbelievable to think military-grade weapons would be shipped in containers across state lines. It's pretty shocking," Fremin said. "One of the strictest things we have in the military is weapons accountability. So these weapons are missing somewhere from a U.S. armory, and somebody doesn't know it. That's the scary thing about that for the U.S. military right now."
He continued, "For these boxes to have M16s in them and be shipped to a public destination, not only is it shocking it's a federal crime."
Exactly who's legally responsible for the gross mistake is uncertain. ABC13 contacted the online website that sold the gun cases. The company has since pulled all the other cases that were also for sale offline as it conducts an internal investigation. A representative from the company told ABC13 that it directly contracts with the Department of Defense to sell surplus equipment, which would not include any weapons.
The ATF confirms it's investigating along with the FBI but will not say how many weapons were recovered. ABC13 can confirm the number is at least a dozen, but unknown how many other boxes also contained M16s.
"We are good citizens" the wife said, adding she's now reluctant to buy military surplus equipment and fearful to run afoul of the law.
You mean that the same firearms Afghanistan Joe gave the Taliban for free are a problem if they wind up in the hands of law-abiding Americans? Who could have thought?
I would definitely, probably, maybe call the ATF right away. đ
“That would explain why they went for a search warrant. Because criminals always contact the authorities when illegal activities occur. /s”
Just keepin’ it legal. Chain of custody and all that.
“somebody’s in trouble... “
Yeah, whomever the previous owner of the unit and whomever was supposed to bid on it at auction.
More than likely though this will be tracked through one of those Programs where our Government sells weapons to Mexican Cartels or 3rd World Crapholes.
The problem ...is there is no way to sell those types of coins, in such good condition, rare dates, without attracting attention...
Melt them. $2.5 million in gold is worth more than $0 after you're forced to give it all back.
You never know when the militia will be called out to serve.
Keep the lowers and discard the rest if space is an issue.
Damn. I’d have told NO ONE!
The person who will have his or her career ruined will most likely be the SGT or SSG who was the units Armorer. Although the real culprit is more likely the a Property Book Officer, or unit Commander or XO. Those are the ones who have a say in what goes and what stays.
We can all sleep peacefully knowing that these weapons are now safely in the hands of the DOJ, IRS, Interior, DHS, Education, EEOC, etc...
Coulda been worse. Coulda been AR-15s which are 5 times faster than M-16s.
Good thing those rifles didnât hurt anyone. - With so much gun crime in Chicago & all.
A dozen, full auto M16s...about a $240,000 worth of guns right there, maybe a little more depending on condition.
They should have also bought a surplus boat, loaded said weapons cases on it, taken it to Lake Houston, and had a tragic boating accident!
LOLOL!!! you guys are killing me...
Truer words never spoken
What is wrong with people? I would have kept them for my next fishing trip. They make great anchors.
10 million in face value? Melt them babies, and cut your losses. People seem to want the value of the age of the coins. I would be happy to have some home made bars.
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