Shropshire ex-marine smuggled guns into UK, court told
Thursday 6th October 2011, 2:57PM BST.
A former US Marine from Shropshire smuggled guns into the country that were used to carry out a fatal shooting on the streets of the UK, a court has heard.
Former marine captain Steven Greenoe, who lived at an address in St George’s Street in Frankwell, Shrewsbury, bought guns from American gun shops, broke them down into parts and then smuggled them into the UK in his luggage on commercial flights, a trial at Liverpool Crown Court was told yesterday.
The court was told that Greenoe, 37, who is awaiting sentence in the US, bought a total of 81 guns in North Carolina, with some of them being smuggled across to the UK and used for ‘serious criminal offences’.
An arsenal of 16 weapons was found in Greenoe’s luggage when he was arrested at Raleigh Durham International Airport in 2010.
Also allegedly involved in the conspiracy were Steven Cardwell, 31, and Neil Copplestone, 32, both from Liverpool, who the prosecution say sold the guns to UK criminals.
Neil Flewitt QC, opening for the prosecution, said forensic experts had proved guns bought by Greenoe were used in a fatal shooting, which cannot be reported on for legal reasons, an attempted murder in Manchester and an attempted robbery in Liverpool.
The trial also heard that three pistols linked to Greenoe’s American purchases were bought by undercover officers. Mr Flewitt said the officers paid about £3,600 per gun.
“By way of comparison, Steven Greenoe paid approximately £300 for each gun. It follows, therefore, that smuggling guns out of the US to sell to criminals in the UK is an extremely profitable trade,” he claimed.
Cardwell, of Old Church Close, Aintree, and Copplestone, of Ruff Lane, Ormskirk, both deny conspiracy to import, sell and possess prohibited firearms with intent to endanger life.
The trial continues.
By Chris Burn
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