Nazi Gun Found in Traffic Stop

Australian police stopped a car last week along the coast of New South Wales and found an MP40 sub-machine gun from the Nazi era along with 60 rounds of ammunition. Needless to say, Australian police have seized the gun.

The weapon was made in Nazi Germany and more than a million were produced during the war years between 1940 and 1945. The 40-year-old passenger of the car has been arrested on possessing a prohibited firearm. Police say the gun was missing its barrel but was in working order. I’d say probably so, since there were so many rounds they had in the car along with it!

Australia banned Australia rapid fire long guns, including those that were privately owned, in 1996 in response to a mass shooting where a man used two semiautomatic rifles to kill 35 people and wound 19 in Tasmania. Anyone caught with banned guns was handed down strict sentences including jail time. Anyone found with prohibited weapons can face up to 14 years in prison or fines that exceed $200,000. Despite the years of prohibition, Australian officials know there are illicit guns (estimates are around 260,000 illicit guns in the country) and occasionally they offer gun buybacks.

The man in possession of the firearm is being denied bail in this case. He is being charged with possessing a prohibited firearm and possessing ammunition without a permit. Authorities say they are examining the firearm to see if it can be linked to any crimes.

The article about the traffic stop makes it seem like the ammo was for the MP40, but the NSW Police Facebook page says the gun was found along with “various” ammunition. The photo shows black tape wrapped around its grip.

Image from New South Wales Police Force Facebook (/nswpoliceforce)