BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE ongoing joint security operation, codenamed ‘Operation Vice Grip’, last night (Feb. 26) netted two illegal firearms with matching rounds of ammunition and a quantity of crack cocaine and marijuana in the Newtown and St. Peter’s area.
A police communiqué stated that the operations had comprised members of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force’s Special Services and Anti-Drug Units as well as the Criminal Investigations Department, the St. Kitts-Nevis defence Force and Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise Department.
It noted that four search warrants were executed on properties in the targeted areas. And during a search of one of six abandoned properties in the Newtown area, the officers found one .32mm semi-automatic pistol with six matching rounds and one 357 Magnum Revolver also with six matching rounds.
The search team also found a large quantity of marijuana and a quantity of crack, all of which, including the firearms and ammunition, were taken into custody.
The discovery of the revolver and pistol has taken to five the number of illegal firearms removed from the Streets of the Federation for the year, while the ammunition count has jumped to 73.
Last night’s find comes on the heels of an illegal firearm and ammunition being taken off the streets when a 17-year-old male was found with a .40mm pistol with eight matching rounds during a stop and search operation in Ottley’s Village at about 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday (Feb. 23).
Last year, the police had removed 21 illegal firearms and a large quantity of ammunition off the Federation’s streets.
