St Kitts and Nevis: Three people charged for firearm possession

The Royal St Kitts and Nevis Police Force in a joint operation with the St Kitts and Nevis Defence Force Coast Guard (SKNDFCG) took into custody three people on the charges of possession of an illegal firearm discovered from the sea vessel they were travelling in.

Notably, the sea vessel was intercepted by the St Kitts and Nevis Defence Force Coast Guard off the coast at Sandy Point, St Kitts. After the vessel was escorted to the marina in New Guinea, the vessel was searched for contraband.

During the process of investigation, the authorities found one .38 revolver pistol. Subsequently, the Crime Scene Unit, during the investigation seized the firearm and three people who boarded the sealed vessel were taken into custody.

The three people charged for the said offence are as follows:

• Quincy Conroy Van Hennigen, resident of Dutch Quarter, St. Marteen.
• Jason Anthony Richardson of St Kitts resides in the Middle Region, St. Marteen.
• Wagneris Michell Valdez Dias of the Dominican Republic and resides at Sucker Garden, St. Maarten.

All these people were charged with the offence of possession and importation of a firearm.

Moreover, the Dominican Republic national, Wagneris Michell Dias was issued a copy of her charge in her local language of Spanish. As per the details, the charges on all three accused were laid at the Basseterre Police Station.

It is to be noted the entire joint operation was led by the Anti-Narcotic Unit of the Royal St Christopher and Nevis Police Force and the St Kitts and Nevis Defence Force Coast Guard.

The news about this crime has received several comments from residents of St Kitts and Nevis. Expressing this, one person with a Facebook account named as Wendy Knight commented the following “Now we getting some good red flags of how illegal firearms and ammunition entering our federation. Turn up the pressure this year and beyond when it comes to border security. Great job officers now continue being aggressive and relentless in this area. We need to capture other big fish that supplying these criminal elements the weapons and arsenals down here.”

While Joan Matthews commented, which read as “Make them serve their sentence and once done depart them without any hold up.”