Former Swiss police employee jailed for selling guns via dark net

ZURICH (Reuters) - The former chief of logistics at a regional Swiss police force has been jailed for eight months after he sold guns and bullets to undisclosed persons via the dark net.

The man, who has not been identified, was sentenced to 28 months in prison, 20 of which were suspended for two years, after being convicted by the Swiss Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona on Thursday. He was also fined and ordered to pay compensation and legal costs.

The 58-year-old civilian, who worked for the cantonal police in Schwyz near Zurich, had ordered weapons and ammunition on behalf of his employers and sold it for private gain. The dark net is part of the internet often used by criminals for illegal activities.

Swiss police investigating the case recovered 80 guns and tens of thousands of bullets when they searched his home. Court documents did not say to whom the weaponry was sold.

Swiss broadcaster SRF said the accused handed over the weapons, which included automatic rifles and pistols, to an accomplice in a garbage bag at his home. The accomplice then drove the weapons to a car park on a mountain road to sell them.

($1 = 0.9183 Swiss francs)

(Reporting by John Revill)