A smuggler hid a gun in a secret van compartment filled with expanding foam. Radek Dobias, 42, was caught after the VW van was stopped in Dover by Border Force officials.
Following a search, a dog sniffed out a secret compartment in April 2018. National Crime Agency (NCA) investigators were called and discovered a Slovakia-manufactured, self-loading, semi-automatic firearm as well as 8kg of loose ammunition; three boxes of ammunition; and two magazines.
The driver, Peter Kral, claimed he was collecting a racing buggy. He was cleared of all offences.
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Organiser of the importation, Marek Platko, was found guilty in December 2018 at Canterbury Crown Court of the importation of weapons and ammunition and jailed for 22 years.
Czech national Dobias was caught at Manchester Airport in March last year and arrested. He pleaded guilty to importing prohibited weapons with intent to evade a prohibition; and being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of prohibition on the importation of prohibited ammunition.
Yesterday (March 17), he was jailed for 12 years and nine months.
Niamh Ingham, prosecuting, told the court that on February 17, 2018, Platko and Dobias travelled to the Czech Republic as a ‘test’ or ‘dummy run’. During that trip they exchanged messages, including one that translated as 'the foam is still drying up'.
On March 10, the van travelled back to the UK and was not stopped, with Platko and Dobias travelling back to Manchester the next day.
A month later, the two men drove the van from Dover to Calais. Platko was said to be responsible for organising the importation, with Dobias acting as the ‘practical element’ in preparing and concealing the gun and ammunition in the bulkhead of the van.
In messages exchanged between them, Platko said: “Assembly foam needed”. He later said that the foam was ‘still dry’.
“Whilst in the Czech Republic, photos were taken on the phone belonging to Platko, one of which showed the foam inside the van which was stopped by the Border Force and another showed Dobias lying on the floor underneath the van,” Ms Ingham said.
On April 30, Mr Kral was stopped at the Dover Eastern Docks. He told officials he was picking up a buggy for his boss.
The van was scanned and officials became aware of the expanding foam after drilling into a side panel in the van. After removing the foam they found a tin-foil wrapped package, which contained a black box with the label ‘handgun’ and another reading ‘ammunition’.
Forensic examination of the seized items had traces of Dobias’ DNA, suggesting he had handled the firearm.
Platko was arrested at the Liverpool John Lennon Airport in May 2018 and denied knowing either the gun or ammunition were in the van, but was found guilty following a week-long trial of importation offences.
Dobias was arrested and cautioned on May 30 at Manchester Airport. When he was asked if he had understood what was said, he said: “Yes, I was in prison for four years.”
He was said to have 11 previous convictions for 33 offences, which were mostly for dishonesty.
The gun seized, a Stribog semi-automatic weapon, was functioning following test fires, and could discharge up to 20 shots in three seconds, the court heard.
Saul Brody, mitigating, said his client had been in prison for four years in the Czech Republic for dissimilar matters, and had just five days of freedom before he was arrested at Manchester Airport.
He said Plakto, of Pinehurst Road in Anfield, played a leading role but that Dobias was a ‘willing participant’, adding that he was expecting a ‘modest payment’ for his assistance.
Mr Brody said that Dobias was working for Plakto as a mechanic at his car sales business in Liverpool for a number of months before becoming involved in the smuggling plot.
“The foam, filler and the concealment were all matters left to Mr Dobias under the direction of Plakto,” he said.
“This defendant had no part in sourcing or purchasing the weapon or ammunition. He had no part in the onward sale or supply of the seized items.
“He is extremely remorseful for his actions, particularly for the pain he has caused to his family.”
Judge Angela Nield, sentencing, said: “He (Plakto) appears to have placed a deal of trust and confidence in you. The concealment of the weapon undertaken was professional, you were the person responsible for the purchase of the foam and its installation into the vehicle.
“The texts between you demonstrated that you were the trusted lieutenant. There is no evidence to suggest you were intending to use the weapon which clearly would have been involved in acts of serious violence.
“It's clear you were well aware of what you were importing.”
Dobias, of Sunlight Street, Liverpool, was jailed for 12 years and nine months. He will serve half of the term in prison before he will be released on licence.
NCA branch commander Mark Howes said: "Radek Dobias played an integral role in this importation attempt, with evidence showing he handled the gun and ammunition personally. These items had the potential to cause serious injury and death, and the group had imported enough ammunition to do untold damage if used on the streets.
"Tackling the criminal trade in firearms is a priority for the NCA, and we work closely with Border Force and international partners to disrupt their flow into the UK."
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