Police destroy scores of weapons

Around 80 firearms in police custody were destroyed on Tuesday in an exercise witnessed by the media.

Sergeant Liesl Gabriel told journalists at Central Police Station the guns were of various calibres and were largely obtained from previous operations.

Representatives from the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) also took part in the exercise.

“This morning’s exercise we are undertaking the destruction of 80,” said Sargeant Gabriel. “These firearms have come into police custody through cases that have been adjudicated through the courts, found as the result of various operations, or handed over to the police by civilians.

“Also, we have United Nations personnel here, and we have taken the advantage of having our personnel trained up. So we’ve had two personnel from The Barbados Police Service, also two persons from the Barbados Defence Force, being trained by the United Nations in respect of how to destroy firearms.”

An additional 113 obsolete and condemned weapons belonging to the BDF were also destroyed. (SB)