Home Workshop Gun Conversion Boss Busted in West Midlands
A 50-year-old man running a deadly guns workshop from his West Midlands home has been locked up for five years. Alireza Nowbakht was caught red-handed after a National Crime Agency (NCA) raid at his Smethwick property on December 22, 2022.
Blank Pistols Turned Into Live Firearms in Bedroom Workshop
NCA officers stormed an upstairs bedroom kitted out with machining tools used to convert innocent-looking blank-firing pistols into working firearms. They seized a fully functioning weapon, live ammunition, and casings. Nowbakht had bought seven blank pistols online, having them delivered to a nearby address while under NCA surveillance. He then shuttled them back to his home for the deadly modifications.
Stolen Car and Fake Plates Add to the Crime Haul
Outside the house, a stolen VW Tiguan was found parked — nicked just 12 days earlier in Wednesbury. The getaway car had cloned number plates to cover its tracks.
Five Years Behind Bars for Illegal Gun and Car Theft
After arrest and questioning, Nowbakht pled guilty to charges including firearm possession, ammunition offences, and vehicle theft. wolverhampton-crown-court/" title="Wolverhampton Crown Court" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked" data-wpil-monitor-id="918">Wolverhampton Crown Court sentenced him to five years in prison on July 10.
“Nowbakht was buying blank firers and converting them into lethal weapons, ready to fuel crime in the West Midlands,” said Kay Mellor, NCA Regional Head of Investigations. “Seizing these illegal guns keeps our streets safer and helps prevent serious violence.”
