V’zuelan guns among 8,000 illegal arms in TT

THE PRIME Minister says the illegal guns in TT have been traced to almost 30 countries including neighbouring Venezuela and the defunct Soviet Union.

He said the police provided information for seized firearms analysed for country of origin for the period 2014-2018, and 27 were identified.

The countries listed were: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Croatia, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Italy, The Philippines, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, South Africa, Soviet Union, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, UK, US, Venezuela and Yugoslavia. The Soviet Union was dissolved on December 26, 1991.

He said, “It should be noted that the tracing of seized illegal firearms to ascertain the country of origin has proven to be difficult for the following reasons: one, erased serial numbers or manufacturer markings; two, gun dealers in the country of origin either closed down or never registered the firearm; and three, improper submission of firearms to the TT Forensic Science Centre.”

He was responding to a question in the House yesterday from Oropouche West MP Vidia Gayadeen-Gopeesingh on the reported 8,000 illegal firearms in circulation in TT.

She asked whether there was a relationship between the number seized and the number of murders committed using these firearms, the complement of staff at the Forensic Science Centre to do ballistic testing and the countries of origin of the illegal guns seized.

Rowley said according to information provided by Forensic Science Centre officials, no direct relationship has been established between the number of firearms seized and the number of murders committed.

He also reported there are currently four scientific officers assigned to do ballistic testing.