Illegally trafficked assault rifles and gun parts manufactured in Nashville found their way to Middle Eastern countries such as Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, The Tennessean reports. Court document from federal agents show details of an alleged conspiracy to skirt U.S. regulators and law enforcement to get a leg up in the high-stakes international arms industry.
Four Sabre Defence Industries executives charged in a 21-count federal indictment are likely to change their not guilty pleas Monday. The alleged fraud included British owner Guy Savage and Nashville officials using “phony shipping documents” and invoices from “fairy land,” sending gun parts overseas under false bottoms in shipping containers and stamping silencers illegally imported from Finland as if they were manufactured in Nashville. Sabre officials were calling silencers “lawn mower mufflers” and rifle barrels “gear shafts” in an effort to fly under the radar of regulators. Savage allegedly purchased a Nashville gun maker known as Ramo Defense Systems in 2002 hoping to be able to ship parts to his British company and hoping to score U.S. defense contracts.