45 Illegal Weapons Seized, 3 Arrested In Bridgeport Sting

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- An assault-style rifle and military-grade ammunition capable of piercing body armor were among 45 illegal weapons and ammunition seized during a nine-month undercover investigation in Bridgeport, authorities said.

Police Chief Joseph Gaudett told the Connecticut Post that a task force made multiple arrests using warrants last week and that more arrests are expected. He announced three arrests during a news conference Tuesday.

Gaudett said he's unsure how the weapons ended up in Bridgeport but that police will track their origins.

Mayor Bill Finch said one weapon seized, known as a "Street Sweeper," is a machine gun "capable of doing tremendous damage" and that such weapons don't belong on the streets.

"Forty percent of these type of weapons are sold at gun shows, with no background checks,'' he said, according to the Connecticut Post. "It's time that we stood up as a country to make sure that our children and our police are safe from these types of weapons.''

About 400 weapons were collected during a gun buyback program last winter, including about a dozen assault weapons.

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