POLICE MAKE BIG GUN HAUL

A massive cache of firearms, which included a sniper rifle and a Russian-made assault rifle has been discovered by police during an Anti-Crime exercise in Couva this morning.

While no arrests were made in connection to the find, senior police officers have commended the police officers involved in the exercise on their detective work, and their execution of the exercise.

Newsday was told that a party of police officers led by the Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit (CGIU), and supported by Southern Division Police and the Canine branch, conducted an anti-crime exercise in Claxton Bay and Couva between 5 am and Midday on Wednesday.

The police officers based their searches on information they received prior to the exercise. That information led them to some bushes just off Todd’s Road, Milton Village, Couva.

Police officers found nine weapons during the search.

The weapons included the assault rifle, a Remington rifle, outfitted with a scope, an Uzi sub-machine gun, six handguns, and over 800 rounds of assorted ammunition.

The weapons were seized by police and taken in for processing by the CGIU.

Public Information Officer, ASP Michael Pierre, commended the officers on their hard work and their execution of the exercise, saying that the success of the exercise was in no small part due to the assistance of the public and good police work.

“We are, of course, commending the officers on their success.” Pierre said. “The more guns we get off the street, the more lives we save.”

Newsday understands that approximately 70 percent of the nation’s violent crimes are committed with the use of a firearm.