Less women arrested for gun possession in 2017

There has been a 47 per cent decrease in the arrest of women for possession of firearms for the period January to August in 2017, as compared to last year.

This year, a total of 54 women were arrested, and in 2016 a total of 102 women arrested for possession of firearms, according to Acting Assistant Superintendent (ASP) of the TTPS Organised Crime Narcotics and Firearms Bureau (OCNFB), Vernly Gift.

Gift made a clarion call for the civic minded nationals to join in the fight against crime, as he addressed the media today at the TTPS weekly media briefing, at their headquarters in Port-of-Spain.

“For the period January to August 31, 2016, 552 males were arrested for being in possession of firearms, for the same period in 2017 636 males were arrested with a 15 per cent increase. For the same period there has been 102 females arrested for possession of firearms in 2016 and for 2017 there were 54 females arrested, a decrease of 47 per cent.” He continued, “Those willing to assist the law enforcement community in making Trinidad and Tobago a safer place, we call on you to help us to make a difference. Out of the nine divisions, the majority of seizures of drugs and firearms were made in the Northern, Western and Southern divisions.”

Gift said there has been a 36 per cent increase in firearms seizure for the period January to August 31in 2017 a total of 702 firearms seized, when compare to 2016 a total of 514 was seized.

He said for the period January to August 31, 2016 there has been a seizure of 198.8 per cent kilogrammes of cocaine seized, as compare for the same period this year, there were 42 kilogrammes of cocaine seizures, a decrease of 83 per cent with a street value of $118, 227,648 in 2016, and for 2107 $19,510,233.60.

“For the period January to August 31, 2016 there were 1,279.01 kilogrammes of marijuana seized compared to this year, 830.55, a decrease of 35 per cent with a street value in 2016 $17,266, 635, for 2017 $11,212, 425.” He continued, “Males arrested for possession of Cocaine there were 265 for the period January to August 31, 2016, as compared for the said period in 2017 where 107 males were arrested. A decrease of 60 per cent.”

Gift said the TTPS has had notable successes in the collective effort, to not only treat with illegal arms and ammunition but also continued focus on narcotic offences.

He said whilst the threat of firearms is real and ever so evident, the effects of the narcotic scourge is equally as devastating and contribute to the loss and diminished quality of life locally.

“The law enforcement drive to seize illegal guns is equally matched by the efforts to seize illegal narcotics. Whilst it is difficult to measure the quantity of firearms entering the country, the efforts of the TTPS, across the nine policing divisions, with firearm recovery should be noted.”

Additionally, Gift said approximately 37,000 rounds of assorted ammunition have been seized since 2015.

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