A County Antrim man has appeared in court charged with attempting to import a gun and ammunition in the post from the United States.
Officers from the National Crime Agency, assisted by the PSNI, arrested 38-year-old Christopher Scott in Ballymoney on Tuesday.
The Sig Sauer weapon, along with magazines and ammunition, was located by Border Force officers carrying out checks at a postal depot near Stanstead Airport in Essex.
It was recovered from a parcel sent being sent from the US to Northern Ireland containing computer parts.
A quantity of class C drugs were recovered during a follow up search operation.
Mr Scott, of Frosses Road, Ballymoney, appeared in Ballymena magistrates court yesterday, charged with attempting to import a firearm, two charges relating to the attempted possession of a firearm, and possessing class C drugs with intent to supply.
A second man arrested by the NCA at the same time has been released pending a report to the Public Prosecution Service.
