Venezuelan pleads guilty to having 4 AK-47s, sentenced to 9 years

THE Venezuelan man who was held with “weapons of mass destruction” last Friday has been sentenced to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to trafficking guns.

Albert Luiz Perez Abreu, 30, of Harmony Hall, San Fernando, was held by officers assigned to the Southern Division Task Force (SDTF). Police stopped Abreu and seized four AK-47 assault rifles and 11 unloaded magazines at a roadblock on the Solomon Hochoy Highway extension near the roundabout in Debe.

Abreu was also charged with driving without a valid driver’s permit and insurance certificate. Abreu presented his international driver’s permit when he was stopped.

Senior magistrate Armina Deonarinsingh sentenced Abreu to nine years' hard labour for pleading guilty for the guns and magazines and 30 days' hard labour for the traffic offences.

He was charged by WPC Claudine Plenty of the SDTF.

At a media briefing on Saturday, head of the Southern Division Snr Supt Richard Smith, referred to the high-powered guns and magazines as "weapons of mass destruction," saying they are capable of causing mayhem.