Arizona -(Ammoland.com)- An accurate count of the AK47 type rifles confiscated in the Gulf of Aden on 28 August 2018, has been released.
During 2016, the U.S. Navy intercepted and confiscated several shipments of small arms from stateless dhows in the Arabian sea. Thousands of AK type rifles, hundreds of Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG) were confiscated, along with PKM general purpose machine guns and 21 .50 caliber heavy machine guns. Included in a haul by the French, were some 60 mm mortars, anti-tank missiles, and 64 Dragunov sniper rifles. From a March 2016 navy.mil article:
The U.S. Navy Coastal Patrol ship USS Sirocco, operating as part of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, intercepted and seized the shipment of weapons hidden aboard a small, stateless dhow. The illicit cargo included 1,500 AK-47s, 200 RPG launchers and 21 .50 caliber machine guns.
The Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Darwin intercepted a dhow Feb. 27, confiscating nearly 2,000 AK-47 assault rifles, 100 rocket-propelled grenade launchers, 49 PKM general purpose machine guns, 39 PKM spare barrels and 20 60mm mortar tubes.
A March 20 seizure by the French Navy destroyer FS Provence yielded almost 2,000 AK-47 assault rifles, 64 Dragunov sniper rifles, nine anti-tank missiles and other associated equipment.
More than two years has elapsed since the last reported seizure. On 28 August, 2018, another seizure was made from a stateless dhow. This dhow was in distress, its engines were inoperative. The initial count of AK type rifles was 1,000. That number was a severe underestimate.
The Navy has released an accurate count of the AK-47 rifles confiscated on August 28, 2018 in the Gulf of Aden. The count is 2.5 times the original estimate. The picture above is from the 28 August confiscation. They look like Chinese type 56S-1 rifles to me. I am sure others can identify them more precisely. They appear in excellent condition. From defense.gov:
MANAMA, Bahrain — The guided missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham seized an illicit weapons shipment containing 2,521 AK-47 rifles Aug. 28, U.S. 5th Fleet officials announced today.
The weapons were found aboard a stateless skiff in international waters in the Gulf of Aden.
The full count follows an initial estimate of more than 1,000 rifles. The skiff was determined to be stateless following a flag-verification boarding conducted in accordance with international law. The origin and intended destination of the skiff have not yet been determined.
A prescient commenter at a previous article noted this:
Most sailors I knew from cross training 30 years ago would have reported 2000 AK if there had been 4000 originally. My army unit would have “borrowed” one each then reported the leftovers.
In the current politically correct navy they probably reported all of them.
It appears the U.S. Navy inventory procedures have tightened up from 30 years ago. Over 2,500 AK47 type rifles have now been reported. Where were the rifles bound? We do not know. Where will they end up? It is uncertain.
In the Gulf, Forbes reported in 2017 that prices in Yemen were about $1,200 per AK47. 2,500 rifles would be worth about three million dollars.
That is a nice haul for the USS Jason Dunham. It should cover a few days operational costs.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of constitutional carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and recently retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
Yeah Puerto Rico too -200,000 immigrants here in Florida -if anything most of them are good people /doubt it the whole island is corrupt but politicians police everybody knows drugs and cash is king there and the FBI is investigating the mayor /governorFor corruption tons of stock piled supplies there that were never distributed to the people ,,so full of shit down there
Sadly I look at these I realize these guns are rusting away in a deep area or worse case arming one of our enimies.if antifa has them perhaps I’ll get to aquire a couple from those who no longer need them. I’m well schooled in the use of rpgs and aks.it sucks that the French got all those svds on the us market those are 10grand a pop if you can find one.french probably let the fish have em.
Just NWO gun confiscation. Don’t cheer for what’s coming her….NEXT. “Confiscate the guns and we’ll worry about due process later.” NOTE: The MANDATORY ammo registration that was passed in New York when the AR-15 registration and mags registration/ban took place is still on hold but WAITING TO BE IMPLIMENTED. Remember????
In addition to this, the local newspaper reported today that 1000 AK’s were stolen from the UPS terminal in Memphis. They didn’t report where the guns were headed or where they came from. There are a 1000 AK’s on the loose now. All these numbers and the RPG’s make a person wonder if someone is planning an attack on we conservatives. Maybe the liberals, even though they won’t touch a gun, have coerced the muslims to perform Jihad on us. That would not be impossible.
A lot of comments about the destination(s), but nothing about the origin country of each…would be nice to know.
I see a win-win and government income here. Let’s sell these on the open market here in the USA and contribute the money to the defense budget or deficit reduction or ….
The Navy should put them up for sale to the public. Could help with their budget!
I would have to pass up the RPG’s . No where to practice, and I wouldn’t want one to go astray and kill a friendly. As far as the AK’s and .50 cal. machine guns are concerned, I’d love to own a couple each. The loony liberal left lying democrats are really pushing for a civil war and I’d love to be ready for that. Or hell, I could need them for when everyone wakes up and finally see’s the mooslem invaders have to go.
So when the gun grabbers get their way and no more guns are available legally, it appears that they will be on the black market by the ‘boatload’. Making something illegal doesn’t stop it from happening. Wish the anti gun mob could recognize that.
Never a better gun salesman in the US than Bar_aaaackk Obama.
Vote Republican or we’re done here in Florida ,,we’re going to need those RPG s to defend ourselves against the new commies that are coming from California and everywhere else including Cuba -Puerto Rico-1776
Not Puerto Rico.
I’m Puertorrican and always voted republican. NRA Life member.
These confiscations are most likely just the tip of the iceberg. And yes,it would be nice to have your (my) pick outa the lot.
That looks like a real ‘candy store’.
My range wouldn’t allow RPGs, but I could use one of those AKs.
I hope the “dhows” and the other “boats” were sunk after the weapons were confiscated. I understand new reefs are always needed.
Most of them are heavy slow wooden vessels. They don’t sink, unless perhaps they’ve got a few thousand AK’s in the hull. It WOULD be instructive to know the source of these weapons. It is obvious they are being transported to supply some shadow groups working toward destabilisation and/or overthrow of some legitimate government. WHICH ONE? Could be any one of several. I hope the goons running the vessels are seized and tried in some international court for their illicit arms running. But then, if WE were in a situation trying to repel and defeat some wrongful controlling force here… Read more »
Sounds like somebody’s starting a war somewhere ,,imagine that/ How about we imagine some “””whirled peas””??