Scottish Man Sentenced To Prison For Buying Firearms On The Dark Web With BTC

A Scottish man named David Mitchell, a 48-year-old from Edinburgh is in our crypto news today after using bitcoin to buy a 9mm handgun with 150 rounds worth of ammunition on the dark web.

He spent almost $3,000 worth of bitcoin on the dark web hoping to ship it from the United States into Scotland. His package was intercepted by the Organized Crime Partnership and was replaced with another fake package sent to Mitchell’s address where officers had set up surveillance.

The police officers acquired a search warrant and stormed his house and found the fake package after which he was arrested and charged with illegal possession of firearms. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 5 years in prison.

The defense lawyer QC John Scott said in court that Mitchell has a history of depression and didn’t really have plans to use the firearm. He only did it because he wanted to know if it was possible. Mitchell has no previous convictions and was described as a reliable asset to the company that he works in according to his employer.

The Judge Lord Pentland said:

‘’You claim that you had no intention of causing harm to anyone but the fact remains that you went to considerable lengths to get hold of a potentially lethal weapon and ammunition. You must have appreciated that this was unlawful. For this conduct you must be punished.’’

This case is only a number in the series of similar cases where bitcoin is used to carry out illegal activities on the dark web.