Guyanese law enforcement has recently seized a total of 33 AK-47 assault rifles in two separate incidents occurring less than a month apart. These weapons are believed to have been shipped by sea and smuggled through the city’s wharves, allegedly intended for South American gang members.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has not disclosed extensive details about the seizures. When questioned about the motives behind these incidents, Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond stated that the investigation is still active and under assessment. Her advisor, former Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn, acknowledged the public’s concern regarding firearms but refrained from providing further comments.
Deputy Police Commissioner Wendell Blanhum, head of the GPF’s Criminal Investigations Department (CID), confirmed that the rifles seized from a vehicle at Schoonard, West Bank Demerara, were manufactured in the United States. A source within the security sector indicated that the firearms were concealed in barrels, boxes, and vehicles that had not undergone thorough inspections. The government is reportedly in the process of acquiring advanced scanners to improve the detection of illegal items in imports.
It has been suggested that the firearms were intended for Venezuelan gang members who would transport them to accomplices near the border with Venezuela. There are also concerns that these weapons could be used to protect illegal gold mining operations. A security official noted that the Venezuelan gangs were actively purchasing weapons, although the specific destinations and recipients remain unclear.
In connection with the seizures, several arrests have been made, including a Venezuelan man attempting to flee the scene and a city businessman who surrendered to police following a wanted bulletin. The opposition party, Alliance For Change (AFC), has criticized the government for its lack of communication regarding the incidents, emphasizing the need for transparency about the circulation of illegal firearms in the country.
The AFC has expressed concerns about public safety and national security, questioning how such weapons entered circulation and whether any laws were violated. The discovery of these firearms has raised alarms about the potential for other unaccounted weapons and the risk of access by criminal networks.
Source: demerarawaves.com
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