AR 15 assault rifle seized in raids

At around 4 am yesterday, officers led by ASP Ajith Persad and including Acting Inspector Gokool of the Inter Agency Task Force along with Sgt Austin, Cpl Charles Budree, PC Keron Lewis and others went to Laventille.

The exercise was co-ordinated by Snr Supt Radcliffe Boxhill.

The officers went into a house at Seales Avenue where they found five women, between the ages of 20 and 32 and five men, all in their late 20s watching television in the house.

Officers carried out a search of the house and found an AR 15 rifle, two AR magazines, a 9 mm pistol, 43 rounds of 5.56 ammunition and 80 packets of marijuana.

Police believe the ten are members of a gang who were using the AR 15 and other weapons to carry out armed robberies and also operate as hired guns.

The same team of officers then went to Pump Trace, where they attempted to detain a 24-year-old man wanted for several robberies.

While at the house the officers were accosted by a 22-year-old woman who attempted to prevent his arrest. Both were arrested.

Officers also executed search warrant at a house at Picton Road and arrested two men and seized a 9 mm magazine and three grams of marijuana Six others were held for shooting offences and are expected to be placed on ID parades over the weekend before appearing in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates Courts on Monday.