Gun Smugglers Busted After Semi-Automatic Pistols Intercepted at Coventry Airport
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has smashed a firearms trafficking ring after two semi-automatic pistols and deadly hollow-point bullets were seized at Coventry Airport on January 24, 2020.
Border Force Snags Hidden Guns from Florida to Cambridge
Border Force officers uncovered the weapons cleverly stashed inside an electronic safe, disguised as car parts in a package shipped all the way from Orlando, Florida. The parcel was addressed to a mysterious ‘John Bob Walton’ in Cambridge.
Just five days later, an individual claiming to be Walton rang Parcelforce to ask where the parcel was. NCA detectives traced the number to Dion Roberts, 33, from Coventry — kicking off a full-scale probe.
Midlands Men Arrested in Armed Sting
On January 31, 2020, NCA officers, backed by West Midlands Police, stopped Roberts and co-conspirator Keston Joseph, 33, driving in Coventry. Both were arrested. Joseph was later released under investigation, but Roberts was locked up and had his phone seized.
Text and audio evidence from Roberts’ phone revealed he had worked with a Florida contact named ‘Shotta’ to import more illegal guns. The pair used a clever smuggling method, insulating safes with carbon paper and disguising them as car parts.
Roberts bragged in messages: “We make a lot o’ money bro. we make a lot of paper, a lotta lotta o’ paper there to be made.”
Photos, DNA and Hidden Safes Unravel the Conspiracy
Police found a photo on Joseph’s phone showing him holding one of the guns. Phone records showed the duo actively hunting buyers for the weapons – while arranging the shipment of a second package.
The plot thickened when Roberts roped in a third man, 46-year-old Dashan Caines from Birmingham, to join the conspiracy. After Roberts’ arrest, Caines and Joseph were detained in a dramatic swoop on March 5, 2020.
Two months later, officers found the hidden safe buried in a bush near Roberts’ home – with the firearm still inside. Forensic tests matched Caines’ DNA to the weapon.
Guilty Verdicts for Firearms Conspiracy
Following a five-week trial at Birmingham Crown Court, Caines and Joseph were found guilty of conspiring to acquire and sell prohibited weapons and ammo. Roberts had earlier pleaded guilty to the offences.
All three men now await sentencing at Birmingham Crown Court on a date yet to be confirmed.
NCA Branch Commander Mick Pope said:
“These men planned to build a business selling illegal weapons to criminals. They cared only about making money, ignoring the danger firearms pose to the public.
“Criminals with guns – often linked to drugs – use them to spread fear, violence, and sometimes death.
“This successful investigation shows our commitment to protect the public and stop guns entering the UK illegally. We’ll keep working with partners like Border Force to keep communities safe.”
