A Poplar man converted a blank gun into a deadly weapon before trying to fire at a rival gang. Muhamet Mahmutaj, 25, has been jailed for five years following the alleged dispute over drugs in Edenbridge, Kent on May 2, 2024
Fighting broke out in the town as knives and catapults were used by attackers. Mahmutaj, of Giraud Street in East London, was carrying a blank firing pistol, which had been converted to be capable of firing live rounds.
He attempted to fire several times at the rival group, but his gun misfired and then jammed. Kent Police officers found Mahmutaj at the scene,
He was with a friend who had been stabbed during the fight and initially claimed they had been set upon by people they didn’t know. Officers searching the area found the gun nearby, along with a 8mm round which misfired and got stuck in the barrel.
Police later matched the weapon to Mahmutaj. Enquiries also connected him to a white Audi, which on the previous day was linked to incidents of criminal damage to cars belonging to the rival gang.
The converted gun and blank round were recovered by police
(Image: Kent Police)
The Poplar man was charged with possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. He was also charged with affray. He pleaded not guilty at Maidstone Crown Court but was convicted after a trial and then sentenced on December 13.
Detective Inspector Paul Raines said: “Mahmutaj had every intention of using this converted weapon and attempted to fire it at other people in a residential area, including at very close range. Fortunately, during the incident only a blank round misfired, which jammed the barrel.
“Brandishing any weapon on our streets is completely unacceptable and anyone bringing firearms into Kent and risking the safety of the public will be robustly pursued and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. We welcome the custodial sentence passed by the courts.”
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