Two assault rifles and a hand grenade were among seven weapons, and a quantity of ammunition discovered by Western Division officers in Maraval during an anti-crime operation yesterday.
The exercise which began at 2 am and ended at 1 pm. It was spearheaded by acting Snr Supt Neville Sankar, and included officers from the Criminal Investigations Department, Maraval Police Station and the Western Division Task Force.
Acting National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds referred to the police exercise in responding to a question from Oropouche East MP Roodal Moonilal in Parliament yesterday.
Hinds said the operation follows a meeting between National Security Minister Edmund Dillon and divisional commanders of the Police Service on Tuesday.
He said there have been other major police operations since then. The meeting focused on strategies for upgraded technological (intelligence gathering/crime detection) systems and ways to increase synergies and information-gathering networks.
Divisional commanders reported on detection rate improvements, firearm seizures, patrols, surveillance/monitoring mechanisms and evidence gathering and community engagement initiatives. There has been a spike in gang-related murders in the Western Division over the last few weeks.
During yesterday’s exercise, officers executed several search warrants for narcotics and ammunition, at several houses throughout the Maraval area. Officers found two assault rifles, a high-powered shotgun, three pistols, a pistol adapter, eight magazines, 1,000 rounds of assorted ammunition and a hand grenade.
Officers also seized 174 grammes of cocaine and 736 grammes of high-grade marijuana.
Police also confiscated six exotic parakeets and a capuchin monkey, which are considered be be protected species. Thirteen people, all priority offenders, were arrested. Investigations are continuing.