Kent man who handed over 'deadly weapon' found in cab had sawn-off shotgun in his attic

A Kent man who supplied a "deadly weapon" found in a mini cab had a sawn-off shotgun in his attic. The pistol was wrapped in a tea towel, with eight rounds of ammunition in a Primark carrier bag.

The discovery was made after officers from the Organised Crime Partnership – a joint NCA and Metropolitan Police Service unit - stopped the vehicle in Day’s Lane, Sidcup, in September 2022. Inside was Mojtab Moradi, from Plumstead, who was being investigated by officers.

Earlier, Moradi had been seen walking from an alleyway near an Indian restaurant on Maidstone Road, Sidcup, carrying several large bags, including a Primark one, which he put in the boot. When the vehicle was searched officers found a converted blank-firing .22inch calibre Rimfire double barrelled Derringer Pistol, wrapped in a tea towel, and eight rounds of ammunition in a toiletry-type bag in the Primark carrier.

Read next: Burglar 'looking for glass of water' caught after leaving his fingerprints

Read next: Hunt for two teens as homes damaged in catapult attack

DNA evidence proved that Robert Reading, 50, from Rochester, who was also being investigated by the OCP, supplied the pistol to him. His vehicle was seen in the same area before Moradi’s arrest.

Moradi was also carrying 16 wraps of crack cocaine in his pockets. As he was arrested, two burner-style Nokia mobile phones fell from the side of the car where he had been sitting.

On the same day officers from Kent Police, on instructions from the OCP, raided Reading’s home in Castle Street, Wouldham. They seized a Birmingham single barrel sawn off shotgun, which was found in the loft.

Moradi, 37, of Gossage Road, Plumstead, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition and two counts of possession of class A drugs (cocaine) at Woolwich Crown Court on October 3, 2022. Reading admitted two counts of possession of a firearm at Maidstone Crown Court in April last year.

Moradi was sentenced to five years imprisonment at Inner London Crown Court on Tuesday (May 21). Reading was jailed for six-and-a-half years at the same court on April 24 this year.

'Caught with deadly weapons'

Andrew Tickner, from the Organised Crime Partnership, said: "Moradi and Reading were caught with deadly weapons which had the potential to inflict serious violence and instil fear on our streets. Such illegal firearms have no place in the UK and often end up in the hands of organised criminals, who use them to enforce their operations.

"We’re grateful for the assistance of Kent Police and remain committed to protecting the public by combating the supply of drugs and firearms into London and the South East."

You can see the latest crime and court news from Kent in our free newsletter here.