Eight arrested with illegal guns this month as Police work to combat gun violence

(Gun seized at Kaneville on Sunday)

The Guyana Police Force has arrested eight individuals with unlicensed firearm in January with the most recent being a 22-year-old who is wanted for multiple robberies.

Police in a statement on Sunday said an intelligence-led operation was conducted between 11:15hrs and 12:00hrs at a house in Hammer Head Street, Kaneville, East Bank Demerara (EBD), where the suspect was found with with an unlicensed .32 pistol, one magazine and two (2) live rounds of ammunition.

“The suspect is wanted for a series of armed robberies in Georgetown,” according to the statement. He was placed in custody pending investigation.

The GPF said while not prevalent, the threat of gun violence in Guyana continues to loom over our neighbourhoods – some more than others – and endanger families and children. As such, it is committed to taking illegal firearms off the streets of Guyana and out of the hands of criminal elements.

For January, the police recovered a black 9mm handgun and 9 live rounds at Seven Miles, Mahdia, one make-shift firearm and one live twelve-gauge cartridge at Foulis, East Coast Demerara, one .38 Taurus Revolver with  five .38 rounds of ammunition at Genip Lane, East Ruimveldt, one .38 special revolver with three live matching rounds and one spent shell casing at Craig, EBD, one .38 special revolver along with two suspected .38 ammunition at Good Hope, ECD, an improvised shotgun, and one 12-gauge cartridge along the Puruni Trail, one .38 revolver at Nabaclis, ECD and one unlicensed .22 pistol at Campbellville.

The suspects were all arrested for possession of the unlicensed weapons.

In 2021, the police seized recover 71 illegal firearms.

During a press conference in November, 2021, President Irfaan Ali noted that efforts will be made to amend laws so that persons found with illegal firearms can receive the highest possible penalty.