Ex-cop busted with illegal gun, ammo & narcotics 

A former policeman was on Tuesday busted with an illegal firearm and ammunition as well as a quantity of narcotics.

Franz Paul, who is now a businessman of Middle Road, La Penitence, Georgetown, is in custody, pending charges.

According to a statement from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Paul, 39, was driving a motorcar with registration number PAH 2167 when he was intercepted by police officers whilst in in the vicinity of the Square of the Revolution in Georgetown. Paul was the lone occupant in the vehicle.

The ranks identified themselves to Paul and told him that they were in receipt of information that he had narcotics, arms, and ammunition in his possession.

The ranks then asked Paul to step out of the vehicle and he complied.

A search was then conducted and a .22 pistol with a magazine containing two live .22 rounds of ammunition were found in his pants pocket. The serial number on the pistol was difficult to recognise, the police said.

Paul was asked if he is a licenced firearm holder, and he said ‘no’. He was told of the offences committed, arrested and cautioned. The ranks then searched the vehicle in Paul’s presence, and they found a large garbage bag on the floor, behind the front passenger seat, with two bulky parcels wrapped with transparent plastic tape containing a quantity of leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis.

Paul was told of the offence committed and cautioned. He was then escorted to the Ruimveldt Police Station along with the suspected narcotics, firearm, ammunition.

The firearm was processed for latent fingerprints, but none were detected. The firearm and ammunition were marked, sealed and lodged to be taken to the ballistic section for examination. The suspected narcotic was weighed and amounted to 2,267 grams.