Steven Greenoe is in custody in the US awaiting trial Weapons smuggled into the UK from the US in hold luggage are being hunted by police, it has been revealed.

American Steven Greenoe, 37, is being held in the US accused of smuggling 60 guns into the UK, including Glock and Ruger 9mm pistols.

Police fear many were sold on to criminal gangs in north-west England.

Documents posted in US courts reveal US officials questioned Mr Greenoe about the dismantled guns in his luggage, but he talked his way on to a flight.

One of the weapons allegedly bought by Mr Greenoe has been linked to a drive-by shooting in Wythenshawe, Manchester, last October, in which a man was hit in the leg.

'Genuinely shocking'

US investigators revealed Mr Greenoe claimed to be an arms salesman returning from a gun show.

He told airport officials in the US that the broken-down weapons parts discovered his suitcase were harmless dummy samples.

The officials are said to have allowed Mr Greenoe to then board his flight to the UK.

Det Ch Supt Simon Leach, of Lancashire Police, said his force was leading a criminal investigation into the activities of Mr Greenoe, in conjunction with the one under way in the US.

"It is essential that as part of this ongoing investigation that we continue to trace all the weapons that have not yet been recovered and therefore we would appeal to anyone who may have any information that could assist the investigation to come forward and contact police in confidence," he said.

Former Scotland Yard counter-terrorism chief Andy Hayman said details of the case were "genuinely shocking".

Writing in The Times, he said: "This makes a mockery of the stringent checks we all endure at US airports, such as removing our shoes and belts, having our toothpaste confiscated and all the other irritants.

"Steven Greenoe's guns could just have easily been bombs."