NYPD confiscates 254 guns in largest illegal weapons bust in city history after aspiring Brooklyn rapper's Instagram shots of guns and cash tipped them off

• The New York Police Department announced Monday that they had broken up an illegal gun-smuggling ring, confiscating 254 illegal weapons
• Investigators were tipped off to the ring when an aspiring Brooklyn rapper posted photos and videos online flaunting guns and cash
• An undercover officer made contact with smugglers based in the Carolinas who ferried illegal weapons into the city in luggage packed on cheap Chinatown buses 
• In one instance, a 22-year-old packed an SKS semi-automatic in a zebra-striped suitcase, Nineteen people have been indicted in New York, North and South Carolina

The New York City Police Department announced it's largest gun seizure in city history today - showing off some of the 254 weapons obtained in their 10 month investigation at a press conference.
The weapons bust which has led to 19 indictments wouldn't have been possible without the aid of social media.
Initially the department was investigating drug charges on aspiring Brooklyn rapper Matthew Best after he started posting photos on Instagram and videos on YouTube flaunting his guns and big bills.
Wiretapping of Best led investigators to two men in the Carolinas who were smuggling guns separately but using the same middleman in New York City.


Off the streets: NYPD commission Ray Kelly with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, announcing the gun bust Monday



Variety: The guns seized ranged in size from small handguns to larger shotguns and assault weapons



Walter Walker and Earl Campbell sourced guns from suppliers in their hometowns of Sanford, North Carolina and Rock Hill, South Carolina and sold them on the black market in New York.
When the NYPD found out about the illegal business, they sent an undercover officer posing as a gun broker to buy the weapons off the two men.
The smugglers would take pictures of the guns they were offering and send it to the undercover officer.
They would then transport the guns into the city, using cheap Chinatown buses to avoid attracting attention or having their bags checked by security.
Apparently the city's stop-and-frisk policy was a concern for the smugglers. Commission Ray Kelly read from one wiretap where a gun distributor alluded to the controversial search: 'Yeah, I’m in Charlotte now, I can’t take them to my town…we got like whatchamacallit, stop-and-frisk.'
The fares on these buses are about half that charged by Greyhound, which, unlike the Chinatown buses, requires identification for boarding.


Taken: In total, the NYPD seized 254 weapons and have indicted 19 people in the illegal gun ring


No more business: The bust led the indictment of 19 people. Above, rapper Matthew best is pictured with the offenders from New York


Breaking the law: Earl Campbell pictured at the top of those involved in the ring in South Carolina


Smugglers: Walter Walker, top, with the North Carolina crew

Walker met two times last year with the middleman and the undercover officer at the rapper's Brooklyn recording studio to sell the undercover firearms, the indictment said. He also allegedly sold weapons to the undercover officer in April in Manhattan.