Russian man denies gun smuggling charges

(CNS): Anton Parygin (45), a Russian national with Canadian and Israeli citizenship who brought three guns with him when he moved to the Cayman Islands for work, has denied a long list of firearm-related charges. Parygin was arrested at Owen Roberts International Airport in January with a 9mm automatic pistol, a 9mm semi-automatic rifle, and a 12-gauge pump action shotgun, as well as ammunition, magazines, rifle bolts and loaders.

The weapons were understood to have been acquired legally, and Parygin reportedly wrote to the authorities here requesting the importation of the weapons. However, it appears that he was not granted a permit before he arrived. The authorities were aware of his application, but since he did not have a legal import permit or a local licence, he was arrested as he arrived with the firearms.

He denied all six counts when he appeared in Grand Court Friday and was bailed until a case management hearing in September, when a trial date is expected to be set. His attorney, James Stenning, has taken the unusual step of making an application for a judicial review of the case, which has yet to be heard.

It is understood that Parygin moved to the Cayman Islands to work for a company within the Special Economic Zone. However, no details have emerged from the court hearings so far as to why he needed or wanted to import the collection of guns.