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Frontier control at the Port of Dover, Kent, United Kingdom. Photo: Andrew Aitchison / In pictures via Getty Images.
Margaret Davis and Tristan Kirk
Press AssociationToday at 13:30
A 24-year-old man accused of trying to smuggle 10 guns and ammunition into the UK as he drove off a ferry into Dover has been remanded in custody.
Khalid Ahmed, of Ealing, west London, who is a dual Dutch and Irish national, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday after being charged overnight with gun charges.
He was stopped at the port of Dover last Thursday by counter-terrorism police when he arrived in the UK from Calais in France.
When officers searched Ahmed’s Mercedes, it is alleged that 10 self-loading pistols were found hidden behind the seats along with ammunition.
Some of the guns were loaded, the court was told.
Ahmed, a construction worker who was born in Amsterdam, appeared for a brief hearing in front of District Judge Daniel Sternberg on Wednesday morning.
He did not enter pleas to 10 counts of possession of a prohibited weapon and one charge of possession of ammunition, and was remanded in custody until a hearing at the Old Bailey on April 17.
When the charges were announced, Commander Helen Flanagan, head of counter terrorism policing London, said: “We appreciate this news may be concerning to the public, but since this arrest took place, we have been carrying out a number of inquiries and, to date, we have not identified any imminent threats to the public relating to this.
“Given the man has been charged, it is important there is no further speculation about the case while criminal proceedings are ongoing.
“But I can reassure the public that our investigation remains ongoing to ensure that the public is kept safe.”