(Trinidad Express) Police, who found several weapons in and outside the home of a Central businessman, up to late yesterday, were trying to determine if the weapons are linked to an alleged plot to assassinate Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and three Government ministers.
Up to late yesterday, officers for the Criminal intelligence Unit (CIU) and the Organised Crime Narcotics and Firearms Bureau (OCNFB) were searching for the businessman, who owns a car rental company in north Trinidad.
On Tuesday afternoon, Snr Supts John Martinez of the CIU and Simon Lendore of the OCNFB led a contingent of officers to the businessman’s home in Chase Village and his business place in the Northern Division where simultaneous searches were conducted.
Three of the weapons—a Mac-11 machine pistol and two 9 mm pistols—were found wrapped in plastic wrap inside a laptop bag in the trunk of a grey Honda Civic motorcar which belongs to the businessman.
The car, which police said was parked on the pavement outside his home, also allegedly contained 34 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, 31 rounds of 7.62 ammunition, 52 rounds of .40 ammunition and 50 rounds of .45 ammunition.
Inside the house, where police had to forcefully gain entry, WPC Claudia Cabie of the Port of Spain CID found a high-powered 303 assault rifle wrapped in a black plastic bag hanging behind a curtain.
On the other side of the curtain rod, police said, 35 rounds of armour-piercing ammunition was also found.
Investigators said even though they do not have sufficient evidence to link the cache of arms and ammunition to the alleged plot up to late yesterday, they were following several leads in the case.
A source close to the investigation told the Express yesterday that CIU officers received information that the businessman allegedly possessed a large cache of high-powered arms and ammunition, many of which had already been sold to gun buyers.
From just after midday yesterday, a police party, consisting of officers of the CIU, OCNFB, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) and closed-circuit television (CCTV), went to the house in Chase Village, Chaguanas.
Senior investigators told the Express they went to the house of the businessman acting on information received.
Under the Emergency Powers Regulations (2011), police officers are allowed to enter the premises of an individual without a search warrant.
Officers said they expected the businessman to surrender to them in company with his attorneys. Sgt Marcano of the OCNFB’s South office is continuing investigations into the incident.
Also involved in Tuesday’s searches were officers from the Port of Spain CID Task Force, led by Cpl Andre Lopez, the Inter-Agency Task Force and the CID.
