GUN-toting hoods are now “better armed” than cops due to a booming weapons trade from Eastern Eur­ope, it was claimed last night.

Twelve Glock 9mm pistols were flogged in Glasgow last month, sparking fears of more bloody violence between rival criminal gangs.

7 'Gerbil' was gunned down in back of an Audi in Asda car park

Two deadly AK47 assault rifles were also touted for sale in the city earlier this year for just £2,500 each.

But insiders warned the powerful weapons horror ran deeper as regular illegal deliveries of brand new guns are made from Romania, Czech Republic and Poland.

A source said: “Criminals can get their hands on any guns they want.

7 Kevin 'Gerbil' Carroll was murdered in 2010

“They are far better armed than the police.

“There are huge numbers of guns in Glasgow these days and they are modern and efficient.”

They added: “A dozen Glocks might sound like a lot but they are just the tip of the iceberg.”

The bombshell claim emerged after the pistols — similar to those used by armed cops — were first sold in Liverpool, where illegal shooters are available more cheaply than in Scotland.

The guns were then transported by road to Glasgow.

7 The scene of Euan Johnston slaying

Most of the consignment was pre-ordered and the others were snap­ped up after being discreetly advertised when arriving in the city.

The weapons’ value was boosted because they were new and not linked to any other shootings.

There are already said to be “huge numbers” of guns in Glasgow, including the AK47s plus Uzis and fully-automatic pistols.

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And it’s feared a fresh generation of gangland thugs are flaunting their bravado by demanding increasingly powerful weapons.

7 Johnston was blasted as he sat in his car Credit: PA:Press Association

The insider added: “Their answer to even the most petty disputes seems to be to blast someone.

“If these guns end up in their hands then there will be some amount of bloodshed.

“They are just trigger-happy yobs and life is cheap to them.”

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Guns used to be rented out by “armourers” for gangland hits or robberies and stashed in a safe spot — including gardens of unsuspecting members of the public.

Antique shooters are exempt from strict laws on trading firearms but can still be reactivated by criminals.

Crooks now favour modern guns which are usually sold outright because sophisticated forensic techniques mean weapons are easier to trace back to previous shootings.

7 Ross Monaghan was targeted near primary school

Ex-cop Graeme Pearson — former director general of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency — insisted ease of travel has boosted gun-runners.

Branding the latest arrivals a “concern”, he said: “Avenues have opened up to Eastern Europe and it not only makes it easier for people to travel, it makes it easier to deliver goods including firearms.

“There has always been a back door into Scotland via Liverpool, and that north-west corner of England.”

He added: “What you’ve got now is criminal gangs who see themselves as not only engaging in excessive violence physically but who have graduated from knives and hammers to guns — and accessing more powerful firearms with each decade that passes.

7 Monaghan survived botched hit

“To young inexperienced men who are criminal by nature and irresponsible in habit then they will seek access to firearms as a way of showing their bravado and strength.

“There’s no doubt that there’s a greater access to firearms than there would have been a decade ago.

“That’s evident from the number of shootings over the last few years.”

Gangster Kevin ‘Gerbil’ Carroll, 29, was executed by two masked men in Robroyston, Glasgow, in 2010.

The Daniel crime clan enforcer was blasted by a hail of 13 bullets in 25 seconds as he sat in the back of an Audi outside an Asda supermarket.

Hood Euan ‘EJ’ Johnston, 26, was assassinated in his motor while waiting at traffic lights in the city’s Kinning Park in November.

And thug Ross Monaghan, 35, was shot in the shoulder by a pram-pushing maniac as he dropped his daughter off at school in Penilee.

7 Alan Pearson says rising gun incidents are a concern

Experts at the National Ballistics Intelligence Service in Glasgow can now check ammo or recovered guns against a global database.

The state-of-the-art technology allows cops to link gun crimes committed in Scotland to others carried out using the same weapon.

Machine guns, automatic rifles and a custom-made shooter the size of an iPhone have been among the weapons seized by Police Scotland.

But former MSP Mr Pearson reckons cops and tough sentences are vital to tackling a gun crime surge.

He said: “Better intelligence is the key to it all.

“Law enforcement needs to put in place the kind of techniques and processes that lawfully convicts people and ensures there’s a genuine deterrent to criminal activity.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Gerry McLean revealed cops recovered an “arsenal” of 11 firearms and a hand grenade from a Glasgow pad in February.

He added: “We work closely with our partners at the National Crime Agency to understand and respond to instances where these weapons are being imported or made available to criminal gangs in Scotland.”

krissy.storrar@the-sun.co.uk

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