Two men, known as the “Iron Pipeline” gun traffickers, were busted this week for allegedly smuggling thousands of dollars worth of weapons from Georgia and other southern states — and selling them in broad daylight in a Home Depot parking lot in Queens.
Cops nabbed the duo after an undercover officer arranged to meet with 33-year-old Anthony Black in the lot on Rockaway Boulevard near 114th Street on Wednesday afternoon, according to a joint statement released by police and the Queens district attorney’s office.
Black, of Savannah, Georgia, and his alleged partner in crime Rasheem Greene, 24, of Lake Park, Florida, were both waiting in a black Kia Optima when cops arrived just after noon.
Officers found two .40 caliber Smith and Wesson firearms, a .38 caliber Walther weapon, a .45 caliber Hi-Point gun and a .22 caliber Walther firearm – in addition to 25 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition in the trunk of the Kia.
They also found a pouch holding marijuana in the front passenger’s seat.
Both were charged with the sale and possession of 13 guns and assorted ammunition — valued at a total of $10,450 — and attempting to sell the five others to the officer on Wednesday.
The undercover officer first arranged to meet with Black on Feb. 29, 2016, and met again on April 6, June 30 and Sept. 26 of the same year, according to the statement.
In each case, Black sold him various types of weapons — including Glocks, Smith and Wesson guns and Titan firearms. He also sold the officer ammo on each date. Greene was also in the car and acting as a lookout on Sept. 26.
Both men were arraigned Thursday night and ordered held on $500,000 bail. If convicted, Black faces up to 25 years in prison and Greene could spend 15 years in the slammer.
“The so-called Iron Pipeline refers to the Interstate 95 corridor that connects New York City with those southern states that have weak gun laws and which greedy unlicensed gun sellers use to unlawfully bring their deadly wares to New York, putting the lives of honest citizens at risk just to turn an enormous profit,” Queens DA Richard A. Brown said.
“We must remain vigilant in our efforts to keep illegal firearms out of the hands of criminals and off of the streets of Queens County.”