Cop, wife held with guns, grenades, drugs

After months of surveillance by members of the Firearm Interdiction Unit (FIU), a police officer and his common-law wife were arrested yesterday for possession of three guns, which included an AK-47, a ski-mask, five hand grenades and drugs. Over 200 rounds of ammunition, including a quantity of 303s, 5.56, .9mm, 380, .38, were also seized. According to reports, in an exercise headed by Insp Mitchell Manswell and coordinated by Snr Supt Errol Dillon and ASP Chandraban Maharaj at around 5.15 am yesterday, police swooped down on a Spring Village house in Valsayn, where they found the items and arrested the policeman, 42, and his common-law wife, 20. The two were taken to the Port-of-Spain office of the FIU, where they were charged with possession of the guns and ammunition.

The officer, with more than 15 years service, is currently attached to the Arouca Police Station. He has been under surveillance for the last three months, according to police sources. Sources also confirmed they are working in tandem with the TT Regiment, since the policeman’s brother is a soldier currently in Grenada, and the AK-47 rifle may have been stolen from the regiment. Police also intend to investigate whether the weapons were to be sold or rented out. Insp Manswell also said the raid was part of the anti-crime initiative of  Police Commissioner Trevor Paul, but said the 303s ammunition is not related to the large quantity stolen from the cache at the Belmont Secondary School. Investigations revealed that ten of the 11 disabled rifles have been recovered so far, while an undisclosed amount of the ammunition has also been recovered. The husband and wife are expected to appear before a Tunapuna or Port-of-Spain magistrate today. Insp Manswell laid the charges.