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Stolen Gun, Body Armor, Narcotics Found in Van Following Warrant Arrest

Officers serving a search warrant on a vehicle following an arrest last week seized guns, body armor, narcotics, and other items – including an illegal firearm part made to modify a handgun into a rapid-fire machine pistol.

On March 30th, a North Precinct officer stopped a man driving a rental van in the 500 block of NE 40th Street. The officer recognized the driver from prior contacts and confirmed he had an active warrant and a suspended license. The man was taken into custody, and police also arrested the passenger after learning he had a felony warrant for firearms violation.

During the initial search of the driver, police recovered suspected narcotics, drug paraphernalia, and ammunition. A search warrant was obtained for the interior of the vehicle once a firearm was spotted under the driver’s seat.

The next day, officers served the search warrant and located the following inside the van: 

  • Stolen property and ID documents
  • Prescription pills
  • Suspected cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and oxycodone / fentanyl pills
  • Narcotics paraphernalia
  • Two loaded handguns (one of which was stolen out of Seattle)
  • Body armor with rifle plates
  • Firearm device made to modify a handgun into an illegal, fully automatic weapon

Police booked the 26-year-old driver into the King County Jail for investigation of firearms and narcotics violations and the outstanding warrant. The passenger, a 45-year-old man, was also taken to the King County Jail for his felony warrant.

Officers notified Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives of the weapons violation. Detectives from SPD’s Gun Violence Reduction Unit will continue the investigation.