‘Operation Hollywood:’ 2 men arrested for smuggling guns, high-capacity magazines

Police have arrested two men accused of smuggling guns and multiple clips of ammunition into the Bronx.

Police coined the investigation leading to the arrests “Operation Hollywood.”

According to investigators, the sting really kicked off in December 2017 in a Little Caesar’s parking lot on Westchester Avenue.

An undercover detective, paid a man identified as Smithson, who went by the name Hollywood, $5,900 for weapons.

The undercover detective bought six pistols and seven magazines that could hold 10 rounds.

What sources say stood out was the four magazines, capable of holding 30 rounds each and a drum magazine that could hook up to a pistol letting the shooter fire 50 rounds.

In August 2018, investigators say an undercover detective met the same suspect as well as his partner identified as Jones at a home on Tinton Avenue.

Sources say the suspects laid six guns on the bed and six magazines. The detective bought it all for $7,000.

The suspects were arrested less than a block away after using an Uber after the sale.

In that car, police found four more guns, magazines and another 50-round drum.

The two men rented a basement apartment in Morrisania from a man who says it is frightening to think at times his grandchildren were in the same house.

"Basically we had two felons in our house overnight with my grandchildren; it's kind of scary to have that happen to you,” said the homeowner, who did not wish to be identified.

He says the men were nice, well-spoken and kept a low profile. 

"[Investigators] knocked on my door a few minutes later and asked if they could come in and look around, and they just said they arrested them and couldn't tell me what was going on,” says the homeowner.

The owner of the home says he rented out the apartment through Airbnb and is calling on the company to conduct better background checks, but says he isn't letting gun traffickers get in the way of renting out the family home.