Major illegal arms cache seized at Piarco bond

Police and Customs made a major arms seizure at a legal port of entry at Piarco on Thursday which included 30 firearms and a 762 rounds of assorted ammunition.

Investigators intend to question a businessman who is linked to the shipment and believe the weapons were imported for specific purpose as it also contained fake police sirens and blue lights.

A release from the police on Friday said it had received a information from their international partners about the shipment of arms and ammo since March 15 and had been on the alert.

Police said the package, which arrived in the country on Tuesday at the Customs bond at Piarco, contained 15 high-powered weapons, 13 pistols, a revolver and a shotgun as well as an assortment of ammunition, police sirens, police blue lights, a bullet-proof vest, and a variety of magazines.

A breakdown of the items also included 293 rounds of 5.56 ammunition, 321rounds of 9mm ammunition, 32 rounds of 12-gauge cartridges, 25 rounds of .380 ammunition, 91 rounds of 10 mm ammunition, four police sirens, four police blue lights, one bulletproof vest, 28 rifle magazines, seven extended 9mm magazines, 21 regular 9mm magazines, one 5.56 drum magazines, three 9mm drum magazines, two shotgun barrel chokes, a tactical bag, six black balaclavas, four 5.56 magazine holders and a packet of pills believed to be ecstasy.

The exercise involved the Special Investigations Unit, the Crime Scene Unit and the Customs and Excise Divison were involved in the operation, the release said.

This major discovery comes two days after police and Customs officials found and seized nine rifle magazines, 11 pistol magazines, one AR-15 butt, one AR-15 barrel, and three pistol slides, and one revolver from a Tacarigua businessman, during an anti-crime exercise.

The 28-year-old man who was on the compound at the time of the search was arrested.

Investigations into both incidents are ongoing.