A Briton had a real armory in his apartment in Monaco
When a passion is repressed, we must surrender! A collector of war material did not put up any resistance before the criminal court for having violated the legislation on the possession and import of offensive means.
For these prohibited weapons, collected unreasonably, a fine of 18,000 euros was imposed on this company manager, who came from New York to be present at the hearing. Admittedly, very discreet about his artillery at the time of his Monegasque residence, the practices of this Briton were discovered with the obligation to leave his apartment.
A competitive arsenal
On December 10, 2020, a bailiff was assisted by the police in order to enter the accommodation and evict the occupant. What was the surprise of the police when they discovered at the turn of a room a real armory with different calibers on display.
“Seventeen rifles and pistols were attached to the wall, says President Florestan Bellinzona ,
with their ammunition. Among the legal, illegal and subject to authorization weapons, two had undergone modifications at the level of the butt, which led to a change of category. The defendant exceeded the ban on importing assault rifles into the Principality. He claims that part of this arsenal had been sold to him by a Monegasque armory. This is also disputed by the trader.
The circulation of weapons in question
A debate followed with the conclusions of an expert on the classifications, calibers and categories of “double-edged” weapons of war. Because, even more worrying than detention, transport and concealment without authorization are also in question. Moreover, the magistrate did not hide his concern in front of a collection with significant danger. At the helm, the fifty-year-old strongly refutes any perilous use of weapons, intended mainly for a sporting discipline of initiation to shooting. “I didn’t call you a terrorist, immediately reacted the president,
nor any other participation in an attitude of intolerance or intimidation.” In turn, the public prosecutor defended himself from passing judgment on a passion. “The conditions of detention and importation weigh on this file, determined the first replacement Valérie Sagné. For logisticians and ballisticians, smoothbores and calibers brought in the weapons of war category. Their modification deserves sanction.”
However, the parquetière badly received the intention of the financier, to be reluctant to declare income reduced to the bare minimum following a dispute with its shareholders. Would they have induced melted like snow in the sun? “With a current monthly rent of 43,000 euros and the lucrative sale of shares, Monsieur is still trying to scratch 3 francs 6 sous. Penalize the offense with three months suspended imprisonment and a fine of 5,000 euros.”
The defendant confessed his mistake of sticking too much to arms and the real precariousness of his financial situation. Above all, he demanded not to justify the conviction on his record. Considered persona non grata in the USA, he could no longer return to New York. The judges, after deliberating behind closed doors, decided to hit the wallet hard with a fine of 18,000 euros. But not to show anything on his locker.The defense promises to fight back! “It can happen in the life of a businessman to have no income objects Me Gérard Baudoux.
My client does not intend to shirk his responsibilities. Certainly, he must have some hard and fast reserves. But remember the garnishment pending payment of his debt where his property was sold. So don’t blame this man for not having been able to find the documents relating to the possession of the weapons, including those which could indicate the origin of the Monaco armory since 2007. It is a passion that I do not share, but that I respect. This collector has specified several shooting ranges. Or, to present oneself there, it is necessary to show that one regularly holds the rifle or the pistol. Therefore, if three weapons present difficulties, you can trust his good faith. Just as my client will pay the fine suffered. The reprieve ? I’m not going to squeal. However, a prison sentence, even a suspended one, seems quite useless to me. Today, the defendant lives in the United States, and we know the vigilance of this administration on the irregular possession of certain weapons…”