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Trinidad and Tobago: Police continue to pay keen attention to removing illegal firearms and ammunition from our communities, as seven illegal firearms and a quantity of ammunition were seized over the weekend. The seizures signal a positive start to the new quarter and build upon the successes of January to March, where over 150 illegal firearms and 4,000 rounds of ammunition were seized.
On Saturday, officers of the Southern Division Task Force observed a man standing at the side of the roadway in the vicinity of Papourie Road, Diamond Village. The officers searched the man and found four rounds of nine-millimetre ammunition hidden in his right-side pants pocket. When questioned further, the man took the officers to an open abandoned lot along Picton Street Extension, Diamond Village, where a pistol fitted with a magazine containing eight rounds of nine-millimetre ammunition was found, hidden under a brick. The police seized the firearm and ammunition, and the man was arrested and taken to the Marabella Police Station. A 23-year-old man was also arrested when police stopped and searched a vehicle in the vicinity of Rushworth Street, San Fernando. Police found one Smith and Wesson pistol outfitted with an extended magazine containing three rounds of nine-millimetre ammunition. The illegal firearm and ammunition were seized, and the suspect was taken to the Marabella Police Station.
A 35 years man was arrested after police released a search warrant for firearms and ammunition at an Eastern Main Road, Barataria building. There, officers seized one Berretta pistol, one magazine containing 15 rounds of nine-millimetre ammunition and one white box with 40 rounds of nine-millimetre ammunition. The officers also seized one illegal Play We machine during the search.
An arrest is imminent as officers of the Couva Criminal Investigations Department, Central Division, continue to search the man who ran away from police as they approached him while in the vicinity of Railway Road, Couva, on Friday. Upon seeing the police, the man entered a track, dropped a bag and ran away as the officers pursued. The suspect escaped; however, when officers searched the bag, they discovered one Smith and Wesson .38 Special and four rounds of .38 Special ammunition.
Around 4:45 pm yesterday, members of the Central Division Task Force- North received information, which led them to release a search warrant at a house located at Dhalia Avenue, Edinburgh, Chaguanas. There, they found one P220 Sig Sauer 45 calibre pistol with three magazines, 39 rounds of .45 ammunition, 24 rounds of nine-millimetre ammunition and 630.75 grammes of marijuana hidden in the ceiling building. One man was arrested and taken to the Chaguanas Police Station, along with the seized items.
South Western Division police also seized one Beretta pistol fitted with three rounds of nine-millimetre ammunition when they acted on intelligence and proceeded to St Francis Village, Erin. There, the officers searched an unoccupied house where the firearm and ammunition were found.
On Sunday, a raid and search exercise was carried out in Sangre Grande by officers of the Sangre Grande Criminal Investigations Department and Eastern Division Task Force. During the exercise, one suspect of Sangre Chiquito was arrested for possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition without a Firearm Users License and relative to enquiries into housebreaking and theft. During the search of the premises, one homemade shotgun together with three rounds of 12-gauge cartridges was found and seized. A DVD Player was also recovered relative to a report of housebreaking and larceny in the Sangre Grande District.
Police responded to recent incidents of larceny by conducting intelligence-led exercises, which led to the arrest of several persons and the recovery of stolen items.
On Friday, Southern Division officers recovered several stolen items after a man from Mon Repos told police he left the doors and windows opened to “air out” his home, went away, and on his return, several items were found to be missing. Police conducted enquiries and arrested a man after officers found one television, one Toolcraft welding plant, and one Powermaster battery which were reported stolen at the suspect’s Circular Courts, Vistabella home. An anti-crime exercise was also conducted in Mon Repos on Friday, during which search warrants were executed. The exercise led to the arrest of four suspects on enquiries into larceny and one suspect for unlawful possession. Southern Division officers also arrested a 32-year-old man from Cocoyea in connection with an incident of breaking and larceny, which occurred on January 8 2022, at a bar located at Dallas Avenue, Cocoa Village, San Fernando.
Also, according to a police report, around 12.15 pm yesterday, a motor vehicle was taken at gunpoint in Brazil Village. Members of the Northern Division Task Force carried out an exercise based on technology and intelligence, where they quickly intercepted a suspect who was seen with the stolen vehicle at Alfred Street, Olton Road, Arima. Upon arrival, the officers questioned a man who was then detained. During a search, police also found several plastic packets containing cocaine, which were seized. The man was arrested because of robbery with aggravation and possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
A man was also arrested on Saturday when Morvant police conducted an exercise after a report of larceny was made on Friday at the St Joseph Police Station in the North Eastern Division. The suspect was arrested when officers intercepted his vehicle in the vicinity of ‘The Lookout” at Lady Young Road, Morvant. The officers recovered four 22-inch rims and three-car batteries, which were reported stolen.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern Division, a man from Valencia made a report to police on Friday stating that he secured his home on October 2, 2021, and went away. However, on his return on March 29 2022, he observed his front door opened, and his refrigerator, stove, slow cooker and gas tank were missing. Crime Scene Investigators processed the scene, several persons were interviewed, and useful information was obtained. Officers then proceeded to St Alban’s Road Valencia, where a 31-year-old man was arrested and recovered the stolen items.
