Special Unit Set up to Deal with Illegal Firearms Trade

Minister of National Security, Dr. Peter Phillips has announced that a special unit has been created under Operation Kingfish to tackle the illegal firearms trade. Making his contribution to the 2007/08 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives, yesterday (June 13), Dr. Phillips said this special focus on firearms was necessary, given the extent to which illegal weapons have featured in murders, robberies and other acts of criminality. “The problem of gun violence in the society remains of greatest concern,” he told the House.
The Minister said that the unit’s operational plan would cover areas such as “reducing the stock of illegal weapons and ammunition, and preventing arms trafficking through the island’s ports and along our coastlines.”
Elaborating, Dr. Phillips pointed out that the operation would be intelligence led and would have appropriate operational support. “The members of this unit have been specially vetted, as is the case with all members of Operation Kingfish. They will make use of the most up-to-date intelligence equipment, including technologies in explosive detection, metal detection, as well as appropriately trained canine resources,” he informed.
The Minister said that the results from the new unit should not be expected immediately, “.but we believe that with the appropriate resources and effort, we will be able to overcome the challenges posed by the illegal firearms trade.”