Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum has said efforts by the police continued this year to crackdown on illegal firearms network across the country.
Consequently, during the reporting period this year, 128 illegal firearms were recovered from all 12 policing divisions across the country.
Again, Georgetown has accounted for the highest seizures of 36 illegal firearms followed Regional Division Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) with 17 firearms, Regional Division 4 ‘B’ (East Bank Demerara) with 16 and Regional Division Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) with 15.
Pistols, according to the Crime Chief, are the most prevalent weapon recovered and is the preferred type of firearm for criminals given its capacity to hold more rounds of ammunition. So far this year, some 77 pistols were recovered, 30 shotguns, 17 revolvers, three rifles and one sub-machine.
The Guyana Police Force now has access to the United States-based Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms (ATF) database in order to conduct traces of illegal firearms.
As a result, the GPF has determined that most of the illegal weapons found on the local streets originated from the US, that is, 29 or 22.7 per cent and neighbouring Brazil, that is, 26 or 20.30 per cent.
The origin of some 24 seized firearms or 18.8 per cent are unknown while the others emanate from mostly European countries such as Austria, Italy, Russia, Belgium and Germany.
Meanwhile, under this new partnership with the Bureau, several local investigators recently received training from an ATF expert and from the newly established CARICOM Gun Intelligence Unit on firearms related matters.
