Machinegun, ammo seized, 5 held

From early as 9 am, officers led by Snr Supt Radcliff Boxhill, supervised by ASP Ajith Persad and including Sgt Lopez, Cpl Budree, Constable Lewis and others staged the exercise with the assistance of colleagues from Port-of-Spain CID, Special Branch, the Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit and the PoS Inter Agency Task Force.

During the searches, officers seized a sub-machinegun with a loaded magazine and a quantity of assorted ammunition while digging the earth near some abandoned houses. During the exercise, five men were arrested in connection with robberies and other serious crimes carried out in the Portof- Spain area.

Among those arrested was a 22-year-old man who held up an off-duty policeman at Independence Square two weeks ago. In that incident the officer was sitting in his car when the suspect pointed a gun at him and demanded that he hand over cash and other valuables.

The off-duty officer instead pulled out his personal firearm and fired two shots at the suspect who ran away empty handed. Officers also seized an army camouflage kit which included a helmet, pants and shirt with regimental numbers. It was found concealed in an abandoned house at Lovell Place, East Dry River.

The army kit will be sent to the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment to ascertain if it was stolen from any member of the TT Defense Force and a further investigation will be launched. Officers taking part in yesterday’s exercise also dug up several areas in East Dry River in search of arms and ammunition believed hidden underground.