Guns ‘meant for the battlefield’ seized in Diamond

Police officers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines recovered in a raid on Friday two prohibited firearms, which acting Commissioner of Police Enville Williams said are weapons “meant for the battlefield”.

Williams displayed the weapons – an AK-47 rifle with 19 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and a Uzi submachine gun with 40 rounds of 9mm ammunition — at a press conference in Kingstown on Monday.

He declined to say where they were recovered, as investigations are ongoing.

However, in a press release later that day, the Police Public Relations and Complaints Department said that officers from the Rapid Response Unit seized the weapons during a “targeted operation” in Diamond.

“… investigations as it relates to the Uzi and the AK 47 are still ongoing,” Williams said, adding, “… as soon as charges are laid against somebody, we will inform you, the media; inform the general public”.

Speaking at the same press conference, acting Assistant Commissioner of Police with responsibility for crime fighting, Trevor “Buju” Bailey, said there were “other investigative and operational duties that are very much active in relation to these two firearms”.

He gave this as the reason why police were not saying then where the weapon were found.

“… we’re just saying that for the purpose of future work that is eminent, we wish just to hold that a little longer,” Bailey had said.

Meanwhile, Williams told the press conference that police continue to be challenged by the prevalence and disproportionate use of illegal firearms in the country.

“In front of me are some of the successes we’ve had in recent times,” he said, referring to the weapons that were seized on  Friday into Saturday.

He noted that the ammunition included hollow point rounds, and the firearms were an AK-47 and a Uzi.

“This is some of the things that start to show themselves on our streets. And these are weapons that are meant for the battlefield to cause total destruction and mayhem,” Williams said.

He urged people to resist the urge to gravitate towards the acquisition and use of illegal firearms to settle scores.

“I want to say to you that the pain that you’re causing your fellow Vincentians is unimaginable. There are other ways in which we can solve our differences rather than reverting to the use of firearms.”

Williams noted he was speaking even as the Public Service was having a church service to celebrate Public Service Day.

“… I want to appeal to the churches to pray for our nation, really, because look at what we’ve brought battlefield weapons into our small streets. And God only knows the carnage that these can bring,” Williams said.

 He urged people who have illegal firearms to turn them over to the police.

“Just contact any of us — Public Relations, come to my office, and we’ll make arrangements to take the firearm from you, because we really want to rid our streets of the prevalence and use of illicit and illegal firearms,” Williams said.