A man has been sentenced to 12-months in prison after an illegal firearm was seized by police at his home in Midlothian.
Acting on intelligence, officers from the Organised Crime Partnership (OCP) executed a warrant at a home in Arbuthnot Road, Loanhead.
Steven Seaton, now aged 46, was arrested and charged after a 9mm handgun was recovered from his bedroom.
He has since pled guilty to importing and possessing a prohibited weapon and has been sentenced at Edinburgh Sheriff Court to one year in prison.
Detective Chief Inspector Graeme Naysmith of the OCP said: “Steven Seaton was willing to risk the safety of the public by importing a deadly weapon for his own financial gain, which was destined to be sold into an organised crime group.
“This investigation involved working with extensively with West Yorkshire Police and Spanish authorities, and I want to thank them for their continued support.
“The OCP will leave no stone unturned in removing illegal firearms from the community and bringing those response for such criminality before the courts.”
NCA’s Head of Investigations for Scotland & Northern Ireland, Gerry McLean, said: “Preventing firearms from getting into the UK and into the hands of criminals is a key priority for the NCA.
“By working closely with our colleagues in Police Scotland, the Organised Crime Partnership was able to prevent a weapon making it onto the streets of Scotland and causing harm to the communities we are here to protect.”
Jennifer Harrower, Procurator Fiscal said: “This prosecution for unlawful importation and possession of a firearm underlines the priority of all agencies working within the Serious and Organised Task Force, to detect and disrupt the movement of firearms into Scotland to help maintain public safety. The Organised Crime Partnership has had a number of successful operations in disrupting serious crime and serious and organised crime in Scotland and Crown Office and the Procurator Fiscal Service will continue to support its work.
Anyone with information or concerns about organised crime should contact Police Scotland via 101, or report information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
