Jail for 'dangerous' Portsmouth man who bought semi-automatic Glock pistol on dark web

Peter Black, 39, was sentenced yesterday for trying to get the gun, hidden in a household item, delivered to a home in Southsea.

Black, of no fixed address, admitted attempting to acquire a firearm and was jailed for three years at Winchester Crown Court.

The South East Regional Organised Crime Unit said Black bought a Glock 19 Semi-Automatic gun on the illicit dark web – used by paedophiles to share abuse images, arms dealers and organised criminals trying to hide their activities.

Known as being untraceable and only accessible by using specialist IT equipment, the dark web has become notorious.

But officers from Serocu were laying in wait when the gun arrived on April 4 and arrested Black.

Detective Inspector Graham Curtis, from the investigations team, said: ‘There is absolutely no excuse for purchasing a weapon of this kind, and by using the dark web it is clear that Black was entirely aware that his actions were illegal.

‘We work alongside law enforcement across the world to ensure weapons don’t make it onto our streets, and we utilise a number of tactics to support this.

‘By arresting Black so quickly after the package had been delivered, we were not only able to apprehend a potentially dangerous individual, but also ensure a deadly weapon wasn’t able to be used.

‘I sincerely hope this serves as a reminder to anyone intending to make illegal purchases on the internet, whether this is on the open or dark web, that we have dedicated teams working to protect our communities, and offenders will be brought before the courts.’

Police said the judge jailing Black said it was ‘determined effort to get hold of [the gun] through the dark web’ and added it was ‘a serious attempt to acquire a lethal weapon’.