Sa’eed Ali Wa’er, 37 years old, says he inherited his profession from his ancestors and it is the only one he knows; unfortunately, it is also illegal.  When Wa’er was caught in his home, which doubled as his workshop, authorities discovered 12 automatic rifles, five pistols, six shotguns and many arms parts and tools.

Sa’eed Ali Wa’er, 37 years old, says he inherited his profession from his ancestors and it is the only one he knows; unfortunately, it is also illegal.  When Wa’er was caught in his home, which doubled as his workshop, authorities discovered 12 automatic rifles, five pistols, six shotguns and many arms parts and tools.

The revolution and the subsequent insecurity have  been like a gold mine for Wa’er and other arms manufacturers. “The local arms market is currently enjoying a great boom. Average citizens buy arms to defend themselves and thugs no longer fear the police,” he said from his detention cell.

Apartment building doubles as a gun workshop

No one would imagine that an enormous arms workshop is hidden in a shop inside an apartment building in Sidi Bishr neighborhood, east of Alexandria. The shop owner has divided it into two halves: the internal hidden part is set aside  for his illegal activity while the second part overlooks the street and is specified for plumbing.

Major general Khalid Ghraba, a police director in Alexandria, says this incident is one of the biggest recently discovered cases in the governorate. Confiscated items included more than 500 guns and pistols and 5,000 bullets.

Arms trade on the rise

Major General, Nasser Abd, director of the investigations department in Alexandria says 96 unlicensed arms workshops were discovered last year. The number of arms trade suspects during that same year reached a whopping 17,100.

Poor quality causes problems

The problem lies not only in the increased unlicensed arms but also in the danger of their low quality on holders. “Locally made arms involve serious risks and cause many problems due to the low quality of the manufacturing materials and parts. Most of the problems come from the barrel or the so-called bullet launching point, which is connected to the trigger. Intense heat causes the explosion of the barrel or shooting bullets aimlessly,” major general, Mahmoud Dwairi, a security expert and an ammunition and arms shop owner said.