Two loaded 9 mm firearms and two imitation firearms, along with a quantity of marijuana and cocaine, were found by police during a raid in Sea Lots, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. The officers also arrested 15 men in connection with the discovery, along with other offences. According to police, around 1 pm officers from the Besson Street Police Station, Port-of-Spain CID, Inter-Agency Task Force and K-9 Unit went to Sea Lots and carried out the search, after getting information that arms and ammunition was hidden in the area.
As the 15 men were being escorted into police vehicles, however, residents said the lawmen were being “wicked” as the suspects had just returned from work. The men also pleaded their case, asking Insp Sahadeo Singh of the Besson Street Police Station why they were being arrested. In an interview with members of the media following the raid, IATF head, Snr Supt Carlton Alleyne, said the raid was part of their ongoing effort to rid the nation of illegal guns.
“We, the TTPS, are doing our best to remove the firearms from off the streets because once we do that we know that we can reduce incidents of homicides,” Alleyne said. To date there have been 123 murders, most of which as a result of illegal firearms.
Alleyne commended the officers, some of whom were present at an official commendation ceremony mere hours before the raid. He added that the lawmen have been working on their intelligence gathering and using the information to bring about arrests and seizures of illegal arms and ammunition.
Alleyne said officers believe the weapons were used by Sea Lots-based gang members in illegal activity. He said the intelligence gathered revealed yesterday was the most opportune time for officers to strike.