Officers of the US-based Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) bureau are assisting local police in tracing the origin of a quantity of high-powered rifles, machine guns and ammunition that were seized in a forested part of Santa Cruz on Wednesday afternoon.
The weapons were seized as part of an operation led by officers of the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) in a forested area off Cangrehal Road. Police said the officers found the cache of weapons in a shed. The weapons include 35 assault rifles, including AR 15s, M 16s, AK 47s, Uzis and shotguns together with hundreds of rounds of high calibre ammunition. Also confiscated were a quantity of gunpowder and C4 explosives with chargers and detonators.
Minutes after the weapons were seized, they were displayed on three large tables during a short media conference at the Police Administration Building, Port of Spain, on Wednesday evening. Sources confirmed that later on Wednesday evening after the media briefing, officers of the ATF visited the building and are assisting police in finding where the guns came from.
Officers from the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) and the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) are also involved in this enquiry. One officer said the guns were at a “secure location” but noted that tests would have to be performed on the weapons seized to determine who handled them, but also if they were involved in any recent crimes. He said while the serial numbers could be filed off to prevent tracing, technology available could be used to “raise” the numbers that were on the guns.
The guns will be analysed either at the ballistics department of the Forensic Science Centre, St James or the Special Evidence Recovery Unit (SERU) in Cumuto. Sources added that the guns belonged to a criminal gang and are continuing enquiries to find those responsible.