Security experts in Trinidad and Tobago say the time is now for the government to focus on the gaps in customs, to urgently address the illegal arms and ammunition coming into the country via legal ports. They commended the TTPS for the large weapons cache discovered by police in Santa Cruz on Wednesday which included: 13 firearms, including two AK-47 rifles, two Draco rifles, one M-16 rifle, two UZI sub-machine guns, one Beretta sub-machine gun, one Ruger 30 calibre rifle and one Ruger Precision 50 calibre rifle.
The seizure also included 1,152 rounds of assorted ammunition, namely 45 mm, 50 calibre, 12-gauge, 7.62 mm, 9 mm and 6.5 calibre armour piercing ammunition. Several major firearm component parts were also seized, including ten laser pointers, 23 rifle stocks, 53 trigger guards, 13 selectors, 15 triggers, four rear sights and four buffers.
While the investigation has been described as ongoing, no one has yet been detained, arrested or charged with the disturbing find. They say customs has been identified in several reports as having significant gaps, and the National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds is on record as saying that most of the illegal guns and ammunition entering the country do so via legal ports.