Taxi driver, another arrested after passenger disposes of gun, ammo during police operation
The police have arrested two persons and are looking for a third following the discovery of a 9MM Pistol and several matching rounds of ammunition during an operation at D Field Sophia, Greater, Georgetown on Sunday evening.
Based on information received, on the day in question at about 23:20h, Police ranks were on Mobile patrol in ‘D’ Field Sophia, when they intercepted a white Senta motor vehicle bearing registration number HD 3450. At the time of the interception, there were three male occupants in the vehicle.
The firearm that was found by police in Sophia
As the vehicle came to a stop, the ranks requested to search the vehicle to which they all agreed. As such, the occupants were instructed to exit the vehicle and as they complied, one of them started to run away from the scene.
In retaliation, a rank gave chase during which he observed the man disposing of an object he had pulled from his waist after which he escaped.
The object was retrieved and upon examination, it was confirmed to be a 9MM pistol with its serial number filed off. As such, the two other occupants, Kevin Felix,46, a taxi driver from Lamaha Park, Georgetown and 22-year-old Toussant Benjamin, a construction worker of ‘B’ Field Sophia were taken into custody.
A search was carried out on their persons and the car but nothing of evidential value was found.
The duo was escorted to the Turkeyen Police Station where they were interrogated during which Felix related that on the night in question, he was working taxi when he received a call on his cellular phone from a male who asked for him to be picked up at Third Street Cummings Lodge.
On his arrival at the pickup point, two men entered the vehicle – one being the brother of one of his frequent passengers from ‘A’ Field Sophia, and Benjamin. They requested to be taken to ‘A’ Field Sophia and it was while on their journey there, they were intercepted by the police.
The driver denied having any knowledge that the escapee had a firearm in his possession. The area was combed for the suspect but to no avail.
The firearm was taken to the CID Headquarters, Eve Leary where it was fumed for latent fingerprints. The magazine was ejected from the firearm and it contained seven rounds of matching ammunition.
The firearm, along with its magazine was taken to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters at Eve Leary for further processing, including fingerprint analysis.
