Border Force officers have uncovered what is believed to be the biggest haul of guns at a UK port.

Sixty guns were found in a Volkswagen Passat after it was stopped at the Port of Dover after arriving from Calais on Friday.

A Sig Sauer P226 blank firing handgun with a barrel converted to fire live ammunition was discovered in the car's rear-left quarter panel.

Another 59 firearms were then found deep inside the vehicle's bumper and both rear quarter panels.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) said the haul was believed to be the largest seizure of lethal purpose weapons at a port in the UK.


Dublin man Robert Keogh, 37, will appear at Margate Magistrates' Court on Monday charged with illegally importing firearms.

Andrea Wilson, head of regional investigations south at the NCA, said the seizure was a "major achievement".

She added: "The NCA and Border Force have removed a huge haul of lethal firearms and will have made a significant impact on the organised crime group responsible for this attempted importation.

"Our investigation into the seizure is ongoing but there's little doubt that these weapons would have gone on the criminal market and into the hands of seriously dangerous individuals.

"The level of gun crime in the UK is one of the lowest in the world.

"But these weapons pose massive potential for harm, making their criminal use a priority for the NCA and wider UK law enforcement."

Nick Drinkal, regional director of Border Force south east and Europe, said: "This is a significant seizure of lethal firearms that could have reached the hands of criminal gangs operating within the United Kingdom.

"The actions of the officers involved in this event have undoubtedly saved many lives and by doing so has highlighted the vital role Border Force plays, together with our partner agencies, in the fight against organised crime."