TRINIDAD NEWSDAY – Fifteen high powered guns and more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition were dug up two miles into a forested area at Rincon Road, Las Cuevas on Thursday by police and soldiers.
The illegal firearms, some capable of spraying upwards of 1,000 rounds of ammunition in one minute, were seized by heavily armed police and soldiers who trekked two miles into the forested area at Las Cuevas.
In addition to the firearms, an assortment of ammunition which police said numbered more than 10,000 rounds of various calibres, drugs, bulletproof vests and ski masks were seized in what has been described as the largest cache of arms seized in one operation since the start of the state of emergency 18 days ago.

BIG FIND: The cache of arms and ammunition unearthed two miles into the Rincon Forest in Las Cuevas on Thursday ( NEWSDAY photos)

The cache of arms, ammunition and other items were taken to the Blanchisseuse Police Station by the officers and will be sent to the Forensic Science Centre where ballistic experts will carry out certain tests to ascertain where the guns originated and if they were used in any criminal activities in this country.
Police officers who took part in the massive exercise, accompanied by members of the Defence Force, told Newsday that acting on information from informants they armed themselves with metal detectors and trekked two miles into the lush forest off Rincon Road, Las Cuevas, under the cover of darkness at about 5 am.
Officers said they initially thought that they were coming upon marijuana fields when they saw strange plastic wrappings and other items in the rough hillside terrain which aroused their suspicions.
On the trek, they crossed two rivers, battled swarms of mosquitoes and slipped and fell as they made their way through the darkness until they came upon an area of the forest where the canopy of trees blocked out the sky, and scuff markings on the forest floor indicated that the area had been visited recently by persons.
Officers used metal detectors and after some minutes of scanning the ground, began digging the forest floor with forks and shovels. They later found the weapons and other items concealed in plastic and crocus bags.
A senior officer who was part of the exercise said, based on the rusty condition of some of the guns, they believe some of the weapons were buried a long time ago while other weapons concealed underground appeared to be new and possibly buried at the start of the state of emergency (SOE).
Officers added that based on the find, they took a decision to carry out searches in other parts of the Las Cuevas forest on Thursday for more arms, ammunition, drugs and other illegal items.
Officers pointed out they have been told that the items could be traced to gang members who are now on the run and whose leader was recently arrested by the police under the anti-gang legislation.
The man’s Las Cuevas home was subjected to several searches by soldiers and the area outside his home dug up for arms and ammunition.
On Thursday, residents of Las Cuevas who were informed of the seizure of the items expressed surprise over the find but added that for several years a certain gang led by a notorious gangster who was recently arrested and charged under the Anti-Gang Act had taken control of the fishing villages and was believed to be heavily involved in the trade of drugs and guns along the North Coast.
They added that since the start of the state of emergency the gang members went into hiding and the village has returned to its original tranquil state with little or no criminal activities taking place.
Villagers said the only problem they have had since the start of the state of emergency was some form of aggression displayed to them by soldiers but they welcome any move to rid the country of illegal arms, ammunition and drugs to make Trinidad and Tobago a safe society where their children and families can feel a sense of peace.

Sources revealed that at yesterday’s Cabinet briefing Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was informed of the seizure, in her capacity as the chair of the National Security Council, and she praised the efforts of the police and soldiers.
This major find comes less than a day after Customs Officers based at Piarco International Airport went to TTPost’s major distribution centre in Piarco and seized five high powered assault rifles in a container of motorcycle parts which originated from Thailand. The assault rifles are similar to the ones used by the Thai National Army.
On Thursday, Comptroller of Customs and Excise Fitzroy John said the issue surrounding the seizure of the Thai assault rifles is currently under investigation.
An official of TTpost who did not wish to be identified said it has been suspected for many years that persons have been involved in smuggling guns and other items into this country but the investigation is at a sensitive stage right now and more details will be divulged shortly.
Newsday understands that local Interpol agents have contacted their counterparts in Thailand to solicit information on where in Thailand the rifles may have originated and the serial numbers of the weapons were sent in an effort to trace the weapons.
The guns were supposed to be picked up by a businessman whose home was searched for illegal items but nothing was found.