Cops seize large weapons cache, hold 2 men in south Trinidad

Police detained two men in south Trinidad on Sundayin connection with a large cache of weapons.

A police report said at around 8.30 am on Sunday, police from the Highway Patrol Task Force were in a traffic exercise on the northbound lane of the Solomon Hochoy Highway near the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.

They stopped a man driving a white Mercedez Benz, searched the car and found a black slide, which is a component of a gun. The man has a firearm user's licence (FUL).

Using a warrant, the police searched the man's home and found more than 40 rounds of 9mm ammunition, contrary to the confitions of his FUL.

Acting on information, they also searched another man's home. This person, the police said, facilitated the transfer of the slide. He, too, has a FUL.

The police found many guns, ammunition and additional parts, including slides and barrels.

One pistol they found had been reconfigured with other parts, creating an entirely new gun.

Police said, "The danger of people having excess parts, especially barrels, will make it very difficult to link a gun if it is used in the commission of a crime.

"The barrel-rifling signature of the original gun is kept at Forensic Sciences Centre.

"But if that barrel is changed, then the gun will not be linked with the testing records at Forensics."

Investigations are ongoing.