BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Customs and Excise Department has informed that as it continues its investigation into a July 14 gun find, one person is in police custody assisting with inquiries.
According to a press release issued today (July 19) by the department, Customs officers - with the assistance of members of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force - conducted two search exercises yesterday, one at a residential property and the other at a commercial property.
“The officers…searched one commercial property on George Street, Newtown, and one private dwelling on Millionaire Street, Basseterre. The searches were executed pertaining to the investigations of an unmarked package that was discovered in Transit Shed 1 on Thursday July, 14 which was found to contain live rounds, ammunitions and gun parts.”
The release does not speak to whether or not items of evidential value were found during the searches. It however, explains that no arrests have been made in connection with the gun find and that “there is one person in police custody assisting with the investigations”.
Shortly after midday on July 14, SKNVibes was the recipient of information which suggested that firearm(s) were discovered at the Sea Port by the Customs and Excise Department.
The Department had subsequently informed that there was some truth to the rumour, and specified that a .38 pistol, ammunition and other items were discovered.
“While conducting a routine patrol of the Transit Shed 1, Customs Officers came across an unmarked package hidden in a remote area of the said warehouse. Upon opening this package the officers found a number of sealed packets which were found to contain 1 Calibre .380 pistol, 2 lower receivers, 3 upper receivers, 4 magazine clips with 38 rounds of ammunition (30 of which are hollow point).”
The Criminal Investigation Department was called in to assist with investigations and also with security of the area while the investigations were being undertaken.
The public has been thanked by the Customs and Excise Department for the assistance it has provided “at this time and we further encourage members of the public who may have pertinent information to this case to contact our Enforcement Department at 466-7227 – your call will be treated with the strictest confidence”, concludes the most recent communiqué.
