News story

Polish man caught with lethal weapons at hull docks removed from UK

A man who attempted to smuggle a stash of illegal weapons into the UK including a crossbow, axe and imitation firearm, has been returned to Poland.

An image of a weapon.

Border Force officers became suspicious as he had a large amount of luggage on him. When questioned he claimed he was in the UK to visit his wife and that he had a list of phone numbers including those of the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary.

His luggage was searched and officers found the array of weapons, which also included pepper spray, a pen knife, taser, a magazine to fit a 9mm imitation firearm designed to discharge gas, long silver callipers, a catapult and a compact torch baton.

Chris Philp, Minister for Immigration Compliance and the Courts, said:

This lethal hoard of weapons had the potential to cause serious harm so I am immensely grateful for the actions of Border Force officers.

The seizure should act as a deterrent to anyone considering to bring weapons into the country because if they do they will be arrested.

After the items were seized, Krause was arrested by a Border Force officer and cautioned for being in possession of offensive weapons. He was also refused admission to the UK. He then claimed he was an MI5 agent working in Germany and that this could be verified by the Prime Minister. The case was referred to Humberside Police and he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

Krause was later deemed fit to face justice and, at a hearing at Hull Crown Court on 17 November, pleaded guilty to five counts of being in possession of offensive weapons. He was handed a 6 month suspended sentence at the same court on 19 November, along with a restraining order barring him from contacting a former colleague, also Polish, who works in London.

He was removed from the UK on Tuesday, 24 November.

Border Force officers use hi-tech search equipment to combat immigration crime and detect banned and restricted goods that smugglers attempt to bring into the UK.

Published 1 December 2020