‘Something to declare?’ ‘Yes, we have two rocket launchers in the back of the van’: British couple fined after revealing Ukrainian military weapons to French customs
- Two Ukrainian rocket launchers were found in the car of a British couple in Calais
A British couple has been fined after they told French customs officials in Calais that they had two rocket launchers from Ukraine in the back of their van.
The so-called ‘Buster Bunkers’ were found cellophane-wrapped in the back of his van during a routine search by a customs officer in the French port ahead of his voyage to the UK.
“He asked if they had anything to declare while they were queuing for the ferry,” an investigative source said.
“The young couple’s response was a simple yes: they wanted to declare two rocket launchers and other military equipment that had been delivered to them in the Ukraine during a humanitarian mission.”
Beyond the rocket launchers, thought to be US-made M141s, there were 14 bullet casings in the trunk and the remains of a bulletproof vest that had been shot to pieces.
A British couple has been fined after they told French customs officials in Calais that they had two rocket launchers from Ukraine in the back of their van. Pictured: A Ukrainian serviceman fires a rocket launched in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, on June 8.
An emergency was declared and people were evacuated from the area before bomb disposal experts were transferred to the port.
The whole thing was found to be ‘dismantled’ but was destroyed anyway, the investigative source said.
The couple, who have not been identified, were arrested on May 7 before appearing in court this week.
They said the equipment represented “symbols of victory” given to them while working in Ukraine.
‘I am not a collector,’ said one of the defendants. “They were gifts of gratitude, symbols of the victory of the Ukrainians, which brought us a lot of trouble at the border.”
Beyond the rocket launchers, thought to be US-made M141s (file image), there were 14 bullet casings in the trunk and the remains of a bulletproof vest that had been shot to pieces.
His teammate said they had been in Ukraine for four days, adding: “We contacted the English authorities who told us it was possible to return with that team.”
“Unfortunately for us, and we found out the hard way, the transport of this type of thing is prohibited in France.”
The couple received a customs fine after being convicted of “transporting category C weapons without a legitimate reason.”
Disposable single-shot rocket launchers that are fired from the shoulder, such as the M141, are widely used by the Ukrainians in their war against Russia.
