Several arrests were made and illegal weapons seized during a series of anti-crime operations over the weekend conducted by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS).
Official police reports indicate that roughly five people were arrested for various weapons related offences as a result of exercises conducted on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 February 2020.
Man Held in Maraval with Pistol and Ammo
One man was arrested and a pistol and quantity of ammunition seized by officers of the Western Division Task Force, during anti-crime exercises conducted in the Maraval district, between 2:00 and 7:00 pm on Sunday.
According to official police reports, at about 7:00pm, officers proceeded to Paramin Village, where they observed three men standing along the roadway.
One of the men, who was armed with a rifle, pointed it at the officers upon seeing them. Officers, acting in accordance with the Use of Force policy, shot at the gunman.
The three men then ran off into a bushy area; however, one of them was held a short distance away.
A search was conducted, which resulted in officers finding one silver and black Beretta pistol fitted with an extended magazine containing five rounds of ammunition in his possession.
The man was arrested in connection with the find.
Also during yesterday’s anti-crime exercises, officers of the Western Division Task Force discovered and seized drugs, firearms and a quantity of ammunition, during a search of a forested area in Faustin Trace, Maraval.
The search resulted in officers finding one AR-15 assault rifle, one Glock pistol, one Jennings pistol, 146 rounds of ammo, nine magazines, several AR-15 components, three articles of camouflage clothing, 13 packets of marijuana and one packet of cocaine.
Investigations are ongoing.
US Citizen Held with Pistol and Ammo in Chaguaramas
A US citizen is one of two persons arrested during a police exercise in Chaguaramas, on Sunday morning.
Officers of the Carenage Police Station reportedly seized a pistol and a quantity of ammunition after stopping and searching the vehicle the suspect was in.
The suspect, a US citizen, is said to be a soldier, currently residing in Arima, and at the time of the arrest was the driver of the vehicle. A 20-year-old female passenger of Port of Spain was with him at the time and also was arrested.
Police reports indicate that based on information received, at about 9:30am on Sunday, officers on the anti-crime exercise had cause to stop and search a dark grey Hyundai Elantra motor vehicle, which was in the vicinity of O2 Park.
Police are searching for two other suspects in connection with the incident.
Two Men Arrested for Robbery with Violence and Other Firearm Related Offences
Two men were arrested for robbery with violence in the Port of Spain Division, on Saturday 22 February 2020.
Official police reports state that PC Mendoza of the Organize Crime and Intelligence Unit (OCIU) was at Queen Street, Port of Spain, when he observed two men robbing a 24-year-old man, of Village Council Street, Laventille, of his gold chain outside of a jewellery store located at Queen Street, Port of Spain.
When PC Mendoza called out to the men to stop, they fired several shots in his direction, and he returned their fire.
A party of officers attached to Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), Duncan Street Post responded to the loud explosions in the lower Duncan street, area.
The robbers reportedly ran into an apartment Building at Duncan Street. In pursuit, the IATF encountered a resident who reported that two men had run into her home without her consent.
The officers entered the apartment and found hiding in a bedroom a 24-year-old man, of Beetham Gardens, holding a Glock pistol firearm, and a magazine in his hand.
In another room nearby, a 25-year-old man of Phase 3, Beetham Gardens, was discovered; he had a gold chain in his right front pants pocket.
The items—the weapon and the jewellery—were seized from both men and they were arrested.
