In the morning of Tuesday, December 10, 20 firearms were confiscated from a suspected gun factory in Kingsclere, following an intelligence-led operation by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Glock pistols, shotguns, long-barrelled firearms and a deactivated Bren machine gun were recovered, along with a range of gun parts which included 11 imitation firearms such as an AK-47, an MP 40 submachine gun and nine revolvers.
Tests are ongoing to verify if one of the Glocks and one of the shotguns are viable.
Following the raid, Philip John Maylen, 57, of Penny’s Hatch, Kingsclere, Newbury, was charged with possession of a prohibited weapon, contrary to section 5(1) of the Firearms Act 1968.
He appeared at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, December 12.
Chris Hill, NCA Branch Commander, said: “This is a very significant haul.
“We’ve identified and prevented a large number of lethal weapons from reaching the streets of the UK.
“These weapons had the potential to cause devastation within our communities.
“There is no place in the UK for illegal firearms which often end up in the possession of organised criminals who use them to enforce their operations.
“Protecting the public from the threat of the criminal use of firearms remains a key priority and we work with partners at home and abroad to combat their importation into the UK.”