Memorandum from the Import Licensing Branch,
Department of Trade and Industry
Thank you for your letter of 12 October 2006
addressed to the Head of the Branch. I have been asked to respond.
Your letter asks for additional details of the AK-47s imported
in 2005. Glyn Williams, then head of the Department's Export Control
Organisations, in his letter of 30 August 2006 indicated the number
of import licenses this Branch issued that allowed the import
of assault rifles such as AK47s.
The purpose of the DTI's import controls on
firearms is to provide a back up for domestic controls on possession.
Provided the imported has domestic authority to possess he will
be allowed to import as it would be improper for DTO to consider
refusing an application whilst a person may lawfully carry on
a business as a firearms dealer.
The application form asks for details of the
importer and the firearms he intends to import. On receipt of
the application a check is carried out with the appropriate body
to confirm that the importer has domestic authority to possess
that which he wishes to import. The end user, where not the importer,
or whether there is an intention to re-export are not questions
asked as part of the examination process. However, importers are
reminded of the need to export firearms and ammunition in accordance
with the export control administered by the DTI in the letter
that is sent to successful applicants.
Once the application is approved an import licence
is issued and is valid for six months or until the end of the
importer's domestic authority to possess, which ever is the sooner.
There is no obligation on the importer to use the licence once
issued.
HM Revenue and Customs are DTI's agents at the
port and are responsible for ensuring that the imports of firearms
are made against valid import licenses. Once that firearm is imported
domestic controls on possession take over which are the responsibility
of agencies other than the DTI.
I attach a table listing the import licenses
issued in 2005 that would specifically allow the import of assault
rifles. I am unable to give you the name of the importer as this
is considered confidential information. I am also unable to add
the end user or whether there was an intention to re-export and
this is not information asked for by DTI as I have explained above.
In addition to the licenses I have listed a
further 54 import licenses were issued over the same period where
it is possible that assault rifles were imported against them
due to the general nature of the description on the license.
IMPORT LICENSES ISSUED IN 2005 THAT SPECIFICALLY
ALLOWED THE IMPORT OF ASSAULT RIFLES
| No of Licences Issued
| Country of Consignment | Description on Import Licence
|
| 25 | Bosnia & Herzegovina
| 127,500 assault rifles |
| 3 | Bosnia & Herzegovina
| 5,500 machine guns, assault rifles |
| 3 | Croatia | 60,000 assault rifles, 1,500 machine guns and assault rifles
|
| 2 | Czech Republic |
7 machine guns, 16 assault rifles, 12 semi auto pistols, 2 pump action shotguns, 2 semi auto shotguns
|
| 1 | Hungary | 8 machine guns, 21 assault rifles
|
| 1 | Malta | 64 assault rifles, 2 machine guns, 4 carbines
|
| 2 | Romania | 5 handguns, 7 assault rifles, 6 single shot rifles, 2 pistols, 1 sniper rifle, 1 machine gun
|
| 2 | Serbia & Montenegro
| 3 assault rifles, 1 machine gun |
| 1 | Switzerland | 2 assault rifles
|
| NB All import licenses were valid for six months.
|
December 2006
|
| |
|
