LAPD detective charged with trying to buy illegal gun silencer from China
A Los Angeles Police officer is charged with trying to illegally transfer a gun silencer from China to Los Angeles County for resale to criminals to shoot people with.
A Los Angeles Police officer is charged with trying to illegally transfer a gun silencer from China to Los Angeles County for resale to criminals to shoot people with.
Jahangir Khan, 40, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of purchasing an illegal handgun silencer from a gun shop operated by the Taoyuan City Police in southern Taiwan in a stolen car.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to KCBS that Khan was charged with attempting to import a prohibited weapon into the country.
Under California’s law, individuals who wish to legally purchase guns must register the firearms with their local police department.
LAPD officers discovered the gun that was allegedly being purchased in the U.S. and traced it to Khan.
Authorities said Khan tried to sell the gun to an undercover informant working for the county’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The detective then purchased an illegal silencer from the gun dealer that Khan had contacted, and drove back with the gun to the shop in Taoyuan.
The silencer was found in Khan’s car, which was in a parking lot and surrounded by police.
Khan was taken into custody and booked later in the day on suspicion of attempted unlawful importation of a weapon silencer into Los Angeles County.
A Taoyuan City police officer told a reporter that Khan’s arrest is a “major breakthrough” in the investigation into illegal gun trafficking in his country.
“This type of case has a huge impact on public order and safety,” Taoyuan City police chief Chen Chieh-chun said during a press conference following Khan’s arrest. “This kind of case is extremely important for the public.”
The Associated Press