A weapons manufacturing facility used to transform blank-firing weapons into deadly firearms has been found in a raid.

National Crime Agency (NCA) investigators who searched an industrial unit in Merton, south London, found an array of instruments and equipment, together with elements used within the manufacture of weapons, ammunition, and clean firers able to be transformed.

More than 100 rounds of dwell ammunition, round a thousand rounds of clean firing ammunition prepared for conversion and three probably functioning transformed weapons have been additionally recovered, based on the NCA.

Investigators additionally discovered a number of 3D printing machines suspected of getting used to make gun elements.

The military bomb squad have been referred to as in at one level to make sure the protection of the situation after a amount of suspected explosive powder was discovered.

Officers from the company's armed operations unit had earlier in a automobile recovered what was believed to be a functioning transformed weapon and magazines stuffed with 9mm ammunition.

The seized weapons are actually being assessed and analysed by forensic consultants.

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Debbie Palmer-Lawrence of the NCA mentioned: "This was a big operation which uncovered a suspected firearms conversion manufacturing facility getting used to transform blank-firing weapons into deadly weapons.

"We know that these types of weapons are in demand by criminals.

"They are sometimes utilized in acts of great violence, in addition to being utilized by crime teams to coerce and intimidate.

"This is why stopping them reaching the streets is a priority for the NCA."

Evan Girdlestone, 47, from Colliers Wood, has been charged with firearm offences underneath the Firearms Act in reference to the raid. He was due seem earlier than magistrates in Croydon on Saturday.