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Guns posted from America are helping to fuel a resurgence of gang warfare in Britain.

As the supply of weapons from eastern Europe and the former Yugoslavia dries up, the gap in the market is being filled by firearms from the US, according to Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy.

And many are simply being sent in parcels through the post.

Glock pistols and Ruger handguns are known to be among the weapons that have been smuggled into the UK from the US, where guns are cheap and plentiful and can be sold for a huge profit to gangsters here, reported Manchester Evening News.

They are packed in suitcases on flights and also sent in parts through the post, to be re-assembled when they arrive in Manchester.

Sir Peter spoke after an increase in shootings in Greater Manchester which has seen 34 firearms discharges in the last 14 months.

In the most serious incident Salford 'Mr Big' Paul Massey was assassinated outside his home in Clifton last month.

Other fatal shootings over the last 18 months include Kieran McGrath who was killed outside the Sheldon Arms in Ashton-under-Lyne in October last year; Charlie Singh who was shot dead outside his company Manchester Food Traders in Openshaw three weeks later; and Andre Marshall who was shot dead in Urmston in May.

(Image: PA)

Sir Peter said: "They try all number of ways of getting guns into the country. One way is through the post from America.

"My view is what we are seeing is not related to supply (of guns). What's driving this unfortunately is territorial wars and disputes between organised crime groups and most of them are using shotguns.

"A lot of this is not terribly sophisticated. A lot of it is simply being driven by the fact we are having these disputes. Some people throw bricks to settle a disagreement. These people are using shotguns."

The sudden escalation of three separate turf wars, as criminals fight over drugs, territory and 'respect', is said to be behind the sudden rise in violence.

Sir Peter added: "More worrying for me is the state of the drugs market and the level of drugs debt we are seeing, and the people being attacked because of this drugs debt and people being assaulted who do not want to tell us why.

"There are still a very small number of firearms in circulation and from the intelligence we are getting there is nothing to say there is an increase in the supply of firearms. On the whole, firearms are incredibly difficult to source in this country particularly because of the

consequences for having one. It's taken seriously by the courts."

He insisted the sudden rise in shooting incidents was 'happenstance'.

He added: "We don't want to be complacent about this but this kind of thing does come and go. At the moment we are having a spike because people are falling out with one another."