Lee Rice, 38, and Marie Brazier, 49, have been jailed for eight and six years, respectively, after being convicted of conspiracy to sell or transfer prohibited weapons. In 2018, National Crime Agency (NCA) personnel shut down a gun factory in Hailsham, East Sussex that had been manufacturing handguns “from scratch”. It was discovered that Rice and Brazier supplied materials to make weapons and ammunition, buying 366 inert rounds from military memorabilia websites, as well as eleven pistol magazines. Thirteen pistols made at the factory were found in criminal hands, with one revealing Rice's DNA on its internal spring. Following sentencing, an NCA spokesperson said, “Rice and Brazier held key roles that contributed to the production of viable pistols and ammunition. These weapons then made their way into the hands of criminals who used them in acts of serious violence.”