Deputies determined that the passenger in the car – later identified as 42-year-old Brian Richard Knabb of Pacific Grove – was allegedly trying to sell the machine gun. (Courtesy of the Monterey County Sheriff's Office)
CASTROVILLE, Calif. - Monterey authorities seized drugs and several weapons – including a Japanese machine gun from World War 2 – in a traffic stop in Castroville on Sunday night.
A Monterey County Sheriff's Office deputy on patrol in the city about 8:30 p.m. on Sunday saw a car driving down the middle of the street "into the path of oncoming traffic," according to a department statement.
The deputy stopped the car in the area of Poole and McDougal streets, and another deputy with his sheriff’s department canine, Rocket, arrived at the scene to provide backup.
The deputies and rocket searched the car and found "the presence of controlled substances and drug paraphernalia," according to the MCSO. A deeper search of the car led authorities to uncover a loaded pistol, loaded AR pistol carbine and a Japanese Type 11 light machine gun dating back to the early 20th century.
"This is a WWII era type of machine gun capable of firing over 500 rounds per minute. It’s a weapon of war. It’s a weapon of mass destruction," said Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto.
Deputies determined that the passenger in the car – later identified as 42-year-old Brian Richard Knabb of Pacific Grove – was allegedly trying to sell the machine gun. They also learned that Knabb had a previous felony conviction that prohibited him from possessing firearms.
Knabb was arrested and booked into Monterey County jail for being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a machine gun, possession of a controlled substance and suspicion of other crimes. His bail was set at $50,000.
The woman driving the car was cited for possessing drugs and was released.
The Source: Monterey County Sheriff's Office