Paul Edmunds has been found guilty of supplying guns and ammo to gangsters

An antiques dealer has been found guilty of supplying guns and ammo to gangsters which were later used in several murders and over 100 shootings across Britain.

Paul Edmunds, 65, from Hardwicke, Gloucestershire, was dubbed the 'Breaking Bad of the gun world' after he altered out-of-date calibres to bring them back into use in an armoury in his garage.

They were supplied to Dr Mohinder Surdhar, 57, from Handsworth, Birmingham, who then sold them on to the criminal underworld.

The weapons and ammunition have been directly linked to crimes across nine police forces including murders, attempted murders and the 2011 Birmingham riots when shots were fired at the West Midlands Police helicopter.

The sole benefit for both men was money. The prosecution proved at trial that Edmunds had unexplained deposits of more than £350,000.

Edmunds imported huge quantities of antique and other firearms from the USA over a six-year period and was also responsible for manufacturing specialist ammunition to fit the handguns.

Following his arrest officers discovered Edmunds had also falsified entries in his firearms register and damaged tools which he had used to make the ammunition. This was in an attempt to remove unique markings to frustrate later scientific examination.

Edmunds, from Hardwicke, Gloucestershire, was accused of using his 'encyclopaedic knowledge' of weapons to make tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition in an armoury in his garage (pictured)

Ballistics expert Gregg Taylor from Nabis found crucial tool markings on bullets that linked to Edmunds

Surdhar pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons and ammunitions.

Edmunds was found guilty of conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons and ammunitions, two counts of perverting the course of justice, transferring prohibited weapons, possession of prohibited weapons and importing firearms from America. He pleaded guilty to exporting ammunition.

Both men will be sentenced at a later date.

Referring to the two defendants, Detective Constable Phil Rodgers from West Midlands Police said: 'They were like the Breaking Bad of the gun world - on the face of it both decent men, but using their skills and expertise to provide deadly firearms.

'But this was no TV drama - these were real weapons; real bullets; real victims. Their actions have had a devastating impact on communities by fuelling violent crime, leading to fear and bloodshed.

'Edmunds has an encyclopaedic knowledge of firearms. It's not an easy task making obsolete calibre bullets to fit antique guns; it would have taken several days to make a box of 50.

'Surdhar also had an armoury at his home and we believe Edmunds was teaching him the art of bullet making.

'Our investigation has undoubtedly prevented many more firearms and countless rounds of ammunition getting into criminal hands ...and in all likelihood saved lives.'

Warren Stanier from the CPS said: 'These two men used their expertise to exploit the illicit firearms market for financial gain and in doing so put the lives of the general public and police in danger.

'The CPS built a compelling case against the defendants using expert evidence provided by the National Ballistics Intelligence Service and the West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit.

Surdhar poses with handguns - he sold firearms to members of crime gangs after being supplied with them by Edmunds

'We work with colleagues in the criminal justice system to identify and robustly pursue those involved throughout the supply chain for illegal firearms. The removal of Edmunds and Surdhar from that supply chain has reduced criminals' opportunity to source firearms and use them in further serious crimes.'

In October, Edmunds went on trial accused of conspiracy to supply firearms and ammunition at Birmingham Crown Court.

He denied fraudulent evasion of a prohibition or restriction, perverting the course of justice and possession of a prohibited firearm.

A jury of seven men and five women was told that Edmunds created the ammo for antique weapons from three armouries at his home.

Detective Phil Rodgers, ran the investigation, with one of the seized guns and bullets

He was investigated after the National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NABIS) noticed an increasing number of pre-war handguns at crime scenes.

NABIS managed to arrest and convict an organised crime gang involved in supplying the firearms with the specially-made ammunition.

Experts realised tool markings on the ammunition matched those they had recovered over several years and collated as 'Operation Gold Dust'.

Opening the case, prosecutor Andrew Fisher QC said: 'This case concerns the supply of guns and live ammunition to criminal gangs both in the West Midlands and across the country.

'In March 2014, the police mounted an operation in an attempt to apprehend both those who supplied the guns and those who possessed them.

'The firearms experts at NABIS had noticed that since 2009 an increasing number of police recoveries were of pre-war handguns for which there was no commercially available ammunition.

'Most of these recoveries were specially made ammunition for these guns, and examinations showed that much of this ammunition had been manufactured using the same equipment.

'Microscopic examinations enabled them to see tell-tale tool markings on the ammunition, rather like fingerprints, which all matched.

'Therefore, it appeared that the same person or manufacturer was supplying the specially made or adapted ammunition that was recovered from over 100 crime scenes throughout the country.

'As you can imagine, there was an extensive search for not just the people who had these firearms, but the person supplying them and the ammunition.

The court also heard Edmunds may have made up to £375,000 as a result of selling on the guns and ammo

'Operation Cookie was launched in 2014, and since then a number of people have been arrested and have been convicted.'

The court heard how the weapons had been passed to gang leader, Nosakhere Stephenson, through middleman Mohinder Surdhar, who liaised with chief armourer Sundish Nazran.

Mr Fisher added: 'It is now clear that Mohinder Surdhar was supplying to the organised crime group that I have just told you about.

'However, Dr Surdhar's dealings were exclusively with the gang's chief armourer, Sundish Nazran.

'Surdhar obtained the guns from various sources including Mr Edmunds and the specially made or adapted ammunition from Edmunds.

'These weapons were then used in several fatal shootings, and the shooting at a police helicopter during the London riots of 2011.

'Initially Mr Edmunds was approached by the police, them having found an invoice of his amongst Surdhar's papers.

'As you can imagine, his premises were then searched.

One of the guns used in a murder. In October, Edmunds went on trial accused of conspiracy to supply firearms and ammunition at Birmingham Crown Court

Above shows another pistol. Following his arrest officers discovered Edmunds had also falsified entries in his firearms register and damaged tools which he had used to make the ammunition

'It was found that he had made numerous false entries into his register to cover his tracks, and many of the firearms were not listed.

'His business was run from home. The principal armoury was his garage, and this was already known to and regularly inspected by the authorities.

'But police searches found a further armoury in his bedroom where he undertook some of the modifications and a third one in the attic.

'It was found that the specially made or adapted ammunition recovered by the police in the 100 plus recoveries from crime scenes matched ammunition found at Edmunds' house.

'There were many tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition and component parts.

'It was found that he had a recipe book which tells him what the main ingredients are for any calibre of ammunition that he wants to make.

Prosecutor Andrew Fisher QC said: 'His business was run from home (pictured). The principal armoury was his garage, and this was already known to and regularly inspected by the authorities'

Edmunds denied all charges. He will be sentenced at a later date. Pictured is his home

Convicted gun-dealers legacy reaches across country A gun-dealer convicted of illegally supplying pistols and ammunition to criminals has left a legacy of potentially lethal weapons on Britain's streets. Detectives said the seizure of 50,000 rounds of ammunition and guns imported or brought back into service by Paul Edmunds was a 'major victory' on gun crime, which had undoubtedly saved lives. But while 17 pistols criminally-linked to Edmunds have been taken out of circulation, police said of the 280 guns imported between 2009 and 2015, the whereabouts of 207 remain a mystery. Detectives said the seizure of 50,000 rounds of ammunition and guns imported or brought back into service by Paul Edmunds Meanwhile, officers have also recovered about 1,000 of his hand-crafted rounds from crime scenes, but shells are 'still coming in' more than two years after Edmunds' arrest. The tendrils of the licensed firearms dealer's cottage-based manufacturing operation spread the length and breadth of the country, including Nottingham, Birmingham, London, Manchester and Sheffield. At least nine police forces came across weapons and ammunition linked through forensic testing to the 66-year-old and his garage workshop. He side-stepped UK laws on importing old guns for which ammunition was commercially available, by falsely declaring to the authorities in customs paperwork they were obsolete 'antiques'. The guns, whose importation is subject to complex rules, were not checked in any detail at UK customs. Trial judge Richard Bond described how he had been 'aghast to hear evidence of one dealer being waved-through on occasion by customs at Heathrow'. Self-confessed 'ammunition freak' Edmunds made 37 trips to the United States, checking the guns into airlines' holds as 'antiques and curiosities'. Many of the guns were antique revolvers but he also imported Colt pistols from the 1950s following trips to Chicago, Las Vegas and Denver. Self-confessed 'ammunition freak' Edmunds made 37 trips to the United States, checking the guns into airlines' holds as 'antiques and curiosities' Six French-made St Etienne revolvers seized at crime scenes were also linked to Edmunds. The gun-buff effectively exploited his legal dealer status and 'encyclopaedic' knowledge of weapons for years, falsifying records and avoiding detailed border checks. Detectives pointed out one weapon, imported by Edmunds from the United States and found at a crime scene, was '25 days from Tulsa' to Handsworth, Birmingham. Another weapon imported on November 14, 2013, was used five weeks later in the Boxing Day murder-shooting at the Avalon nightclub in London. Four of Edmunds' bullets were recovered from the victim's body. Firearms certificate holder Edmunds, from Bristol Road, Hardwicke, Gloucestershire, machine-tooled cartridges in out-of-date calibres bringing guns which were out of use back into circulation. All those guns could be classed as antiques, because they were more than 100 years old and had ammunition no longer commercially available. Edmunds sold the weapons and cartridges to middleman and fellow gun-nut Mohinder Surdhar, who fenced them on to a crime gang armourer, Sundish Nazran. All those guns could be classed as antiques, because they were more than 100 years old and had ammunition no longer commercially available But ballistics experts found the same microscopic markings on each of the slugs, confirming there was a single ammunition-maker. A touch of good old-fashioned detective work followed, when an officer followed an invoice paper-trail leading to Edmunds. An officer then spotted of bag full of the tell-tale red-dyed rounds - matching the colour on seized bullets - under Edmunds' exhibition table at a Birmingham gun show. Regarding a possible motive, Detective Constable Phil Rodgers, of West Midlands Police, said: 'We think there was a bit of arrogance but he was also swamped with debt - he'd got £70,000 worth. 'His fascination with firearms and his obsession could not support his lifestyle.' Advertisement

'Plainly he has an expertise and almost encyclopaedic knowledge of firearms and ammunition.

'He has been supplying guns and ammunition highly unlawfully for many years..'

Jurors were told how further searches of Edmunds' home revealed he had been importing hundreds of guns from the United States, paying around £250,000.

Mr Fisher said he then failed to list them on his firearms register, meaning they could not be traced.

He added: 'He managed to get round this regulation, including costs and taxes, in order to make it cheaper for him, but, more relevantly, easier to supply to the illicit market.

'On examination of his registers, it became clear that of the hundreds of guns he had imported, very few had been recorded in his register.

'These guns and ammunition were not found on his property, meaning that they must have been sold.

'The failure to mark them in his stock record made it easier for him to supply them to the illicit market. No record, no trace.

The court heard how the weapons had been passed to gang leader, Nosakhere Stephenson (left), through middleman Surdhar, who liaised with chief armourer Sundish Nazran (right). Stephenson was jailed for 16 years in 2015 and Nazran was jailed for 13 years in 2015

'These guns, together with the ammunition, have inevitably gone almost directly into the hands of dangerous criminals since they could not in reality be lawfully held by anyone other than the firearms dealer.'

The court also heard Edmunds may have made up to £375,000 as a result of selling on the guns and ammo.

Mr Fisher said: 'It was also found that £300,000 was paid into his many card accounts under the heading 'credit'.

'And £75,000 was paid into other accounts, again through cash.

'It would appear that unknown sources have funded Mr Edmunds' activities to the tune of £375,000.

'This may reflect some of his criminal activity in supplying firearms and ammunition illicitly to people who should not and are not permitted to have them.'