Windsor Home Seized in Connection to Arms-Smuggling Case
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Denver released the official report Thursday (October 18) on a worldwide gun-smuggling scheme that was busted over the summer in Windsor.
Michael John Suppes, 45, was arrested when he was pulled over while driving on Interstate 25. During a search of Suppes' vehicle, police found 50 illegal AR-15s and AK-47s he had agreed to sell. Unfortunately for Suppes, the people he was planning to sell the guns to, who told him they were going to smuggle the guns into Mexico, were undercover agents .
According to 9 News Denver, Suppes agreed to sell the undercover agents 30 AR-15 rifles and 20 AK-47 rifles for $84,650. Federal agents got a search warrant to track Suppes' cell phone. On May 30, police tracked him leaving his home in Windsor to sell the guns and pulled him over near Firestone.
The investigation into Suppes began when authorities intercepted a package that was on it's way to India. When the package was opened, it appeared to be an RC car. Upon further inspection, agents found concealed weapon parts for a Glock handgun. The shipping address was tracked to a UPS drop box in Fort Collins.
During the investigation, authorities intercepted "RC car" boxes going everywhere from Cambodia to South Africa. Suppes is charged with six counts of smuggling goods from the United States, dealing firearms without a license and possession of unregistered firearms. Those charges could lead to as much as 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Source: BIZWEST