By Sue-Ann Wayow
FIVE persons ages 17 to 35 from Tunapuna were arrested after four firearms including two AR-15 rifles and ammunition were found in their possession.
The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) reported that in the Northern Division, a Securing Our Carnival Activities (SOCA) Operation was conducted in the Tunapuna district between 6 am and 11 am on Tuesday by Task Force officers.
As a result, one Nissan Almera motor vehicle with five occupants was stopped and searched. The search resulted in the officers finding two AR-15 rifles with two magazines, one Glock 17 pistol with a selector and two magazines, one Mac10 machine gun with a silencer and one magazine, along with 52 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition and 49 rounds of 9mm ammunition. The five were arrested.
Police stated in a media release on Thursday that Operation SOCA then proceeded to the Arima district between 10 am and 10 pm on Wednesday.
One man, a 39-year-old of Arima, was held for wounding offences, while another was held for a drug related offence and a third was arrested for possession of camouflage clothing.
Meanwhile, an exercise in Area North of the Northern Division, which ended around 1 am on Thursday, resulted in the arrest of one Wallerfield man for possession of cocaine and possession of apparatus.
Pistol found on market vendor
In the Central Division, officers of the Freeport Police Station conducted an exercise between 1 pm and 4 pm, on Wednesday during which they proceeded to Roopsingh Road, Carapichaima, where they searched a market vendor. The search resulted in officers finding one Baretta pistol loaded with a magazine containing 12 rounds of ammunition. The man was arrested in connection with the find.
And, in the South Western Division, officers of the Santa Flora district, conducted an Operation Safe Streets exercise, between 7 pm and 10 pm, on Wednesday. During the exercise, a 32-year-old man of Penal was held for possession of an offensive weapon.
