Friday, March 1 2013

EIGHT illegal firearms, including a high-powered assault rifle have been seized by police in anti-crime exercises in several parts of Trinidad between Wednesday and yesterday.

An early morning exercise in the Moruga district netted the assault rifle and the arrest of four suspects.

Five other guns were seized earlier in the week in the Southern Division. Acting Snr Supt Cecil Santana, of Southern Division, who co-ordinated the exercises praised his officers for their hard work and dedication.

He also sounded a warning to criminal elements not to view the Southern division as a safe haven. Santana said at 4.15 am yesterday, officers went to Cachipe Village in Moruga and executed a search warrant and arrested four persons.

A High Point 9mm assault rifle with a magazine and 11 rounds of 9 mm ammunition were seized during the search. He added that a man who was an occupant of the house, fired shots at the police officers and escaped into nearby bushes. The police returned fire and chased after the suspect but he eluded capture. He remains at large. Four other suspects who were in the house were arrested.

Five other firearms which were seized earlier in the week in Marabella and Ste Madeleine were also on display. The weapons included three 9 mm pistols, one .38 revolver and a shotgun along with assorted ammunition. Four suspects were also arrested in connection with the find.

Meanwhile, at about 10.30 am on Wednesday, officers of Port-of-Spain Task Force under the supervision of Sgt Knott were on mobile patrol along Pashley Street when they observed a man walking along the roadway.

Upon noticing the police, the suspect quickly changed his direction and walked into a nearby grocery. This aroused the suspicion of the officers and as a result they followed him and conducted a search of his person.

The 21-year-old man was found with a revolver with four rounds of ammunition. He was arrested and charged by Constable Smith.

At about 3 pm, also on Wednesday, officers of the Brasso Police Station, acting on information, went to a bushy area along New Gunness Road, Caparo, where they found a shotgun lying on the ground. No one was arrested.