LOOP NEWS:An operation headed by the US Department of Homeland Security resulted in the seizure of 318 firearms, 314 magazines, and almost 20,000 rounds of ammunition bound for CARICOM member states. CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATS APP GROUP
Speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday following his return from the 46th CARICOM Heads of Government Conference, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said over half a million shipments were inspected during the exercise, called Operation Hammerhead, which was led by US Homeland Security in 2023.
The exercise took place over the course of three weeks in September 2023 in an effort to crack down on the illicit firearms trade between the US and CARICOM member states.
He said as of data received in January 2024, during the operation, 600,000 packages destined for CARICOM were assessed and given increased scrutiny.
Of that number, 4,600 were deemed to require enhanced inspection, and following these inspections, 318 firearms, 314 magazines and 19,270 founds of ammunition were found bound for the Caribbean.
“One can only envisage what that would have added to the horror that we’re already experiencing. As a result of that exercise…we initiated and supported, 25 international firearms trafficking cases and indictments and arrests are anticipated for several persons in the United States.
“There is a positive outcome to be had by working alongside the United States at the source end of the supply of the guns and ammunition. That is not what we picked up here…[it was detected] at that other end that was destined for us.”
He said enhanced training in collaboration with The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) and other entities is also being undertaken for national security personnel in dealing with these issues.
“We’re being told by IMPACS that the threat being posed by obsolete and unsecured weapons is a threat.”
He said other CARICOM states are also trying to reduce the threat of unsecured and obsolete weapons within the country; the initiative is being funded by the UK government.
The US government has launched several initiatives to address firearms trafficking, including at the legislative level, with the signing into law of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to dramatically increase criminal penalties for straw purchasers and US-sourced firearms trafficking.
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Specific information is lacking like which countries exactly were they going to and from where ?
@Miron Reynolds…could it be, that [investigations] are still ongoing, and as such perps can be alerted?
The Caribbean borders are wide open, and they don’t have the resources to deal with criminal activity such as smuggling.
Antigua for example main port(s) of smuggling illegal goods into the Country is through our waterways, not our airport or customs. But, then again who wants to disrupt the Yachting Community, and the dollars which they dole out, in the region?
You can now add the Private Jets with their #FREE_PASSES filled with jet setters to have even easier access to our shores, to conduct, #whatever!
While, I’ll agree, that guns must be kept out of the Street Thugs[PAWNS] hands, as they terrorize their local communities, they are not the main importers nor distributors of illegal weapons nor drugs.
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
A big Thank you to the US OFFICIALS for doing such a great job for intercepting those fire arms from reachi g our shores.Job well done for saving our lives from destruction and death.GOD is still on his
THRONE.
Reasons as to why, CARICOM and the OECS must have stronger Inter Regional Agencies such as the FBI, NSA, INTERPOL etc., so that, the sharing of data is instantaneous and jurisdictional hurdles are removed to make for easier surveillances to arrests to prosecutions of the Criminals preying on, in the Caribbean Region.
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
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