‘Arrogant’ building industry boss Ahmad Elsaafin, 40, admits to importing illegal Airsoft weapons for fun during lockdown

Ahmad Elsaafin tried every trick in the book to get illegal weapons past Border Force officials, thinking his internet searches meant he knew better than law enforcement.

A construction executive tried to outsmart Australian Border Force officials and sneak orders of illegal Airsoft weapons into the country.

Ahmad Elsaafin, 40 of Doreen — a married suburban dad and Ivanhoe Grammar graduate — placed dozens of orders for Airsoft weapons during the Covid pandemic, which he used to shoot a makeshift target range he built at home.

Airsoft guns use compressed air to shoot plastic pellets at high speed and often have a striking resemblance to real firearms.

Ahmad Elsaafin, 40, an Ivanhoe Grammar old boy and construction company executive, leaves the Melbourne Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to importing illegal Airsoft weapons. Picture: NewsWire / Nadir Kinani

They are illegal in Australia but are used in some countries for sport, similar to paintball.

Elsaafin pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday to a single charge of illegally importing “tier two” prohibited goods, which includes illegal weapons.

The court heard Elsaafin convinced himself the weapons were legal to buy, and that Border Force officials were “just seizing whatever the hell they want to, because they can”.

Elsaafin went to elaborate lengths to evade detection, including ordering individual parts for the weapons and assembling them after they arrived, and having them sent to his cousin’s and parents’ houses instead of his own.

He purchased the weapons from online stores based in Russia, Japan and thought his Google searches had given him a “better” understanding of Australia’s strict gun laws than Border Force officials.

Following more than a dozen interceptions of illegally-ordered weapons and parts addressed to Elsaafin, more than a dozen Border Force officials and Victoria Police officers raided his home, which his lawyer said served as a “shock” for a man with no criminal record.

Elsaafin’s lawyer said his client was bored during the pandemic, and tried to do his own legal research into the legality of weapons.

“It was during Covid. All we could do was go on the internet. I think I watched ‘Step Brothers’ about 100 times,” he said.

The realistic weapons are regularly used in armed robberies in Australia, but Elsaafin’s never left his home.

Ahmad Elsaafin was accused of being “arrogant” for thinking he knew more about Australian gun laws than Border Force officials. Picture: NewsWire / Nadir Kinani

Magistrate William Parker said: “It needs to be understood how serious the charge is.

“There is some level of naivety towards the law and some level of arrogance.

“That arrogance was forged by ignorance, and the internet … you thinking someone on the internet knows better (than law enforcement).”

Ahmad Elsaafin (right), 40, leaves Melbourne Magistrates Court. Picture: NewsWire / Nadir Kinani

Elsaafin left Australia for a high level job at a construction company in Saudi Arabia after a raid on his home, and did not face court until he returned in March.

He now works as a building inspector and has plans to go into teaching.

Mr Parker said Elsaafin narrowly avoided more serious punishment because he had not been in trouble with the law in the years since the raid on his home.

He imposed a two year good behaviour bond, without conviction.

Elsaafin’s illegal haul of 38 Airsoft weapons, parts and ammunition will be destroyed by Border Force.

Originally published as ‘Arrogant’ building industry boss Ahmad Elsaafin, 40, admits to importing illegal Airsoft weapons for fun during lockdown