Pistols, ammunition and high-powered weapons recovered by Western Division police. Photo: ANDRE ALEXANDER

Western Division police have recovered five weapons, including an Uzi sub-machine gun, and close to 137 rounds of assorted ammunition, after various anti-crime exercises conducted in Carenage, Diego Martin and Morvant. Some 14 people, including a 15-year-old schoolboy, charged with possession of illegal arms and ammunition, are expected to appear before a Port-of-Spain magistrate today. Apart from the Uzi, police also seized a “silencer” and several rounds of shotgun cartridges.

The exercise was headed by Insp Henry Dan, and participants included Sgts William Constantine, Ronald John and PCs Kerwin Dominique, Ronald Pennie, Shem de Souza and Frith. Police said around 2.30 am on Sunday, they received information and searched a house at Morvant Old Road Extension in Morvant, and recovered an Uzi and 114 rounds of ammunition. The schoolboy, along with other people in their early 20s and late 30s, were arrested. In a separate incident, police nabbed three men on Sunday night and recovered four stolen laptops, a .22 pistol and six rounds of ammunition.

Investigators believed the suspects were part of a gang targeting people who normally gathered at Francois Street in Carenage to use their laptops. They said the men, in their early 20s, had just robbed four people of their laptops and made their getaway by flagging down a taxi. However, they were nabbed shortly after by alert police officers. In another incident, members of the Western Division Task Force recovered a .38 pistol, three rounds of .38 ammunition and held two people believed to part of a robbery and carjacking ring operating in St James.