Police find high powered weapons, ammunition in central Trinidad; searching for businessman

Police are trying to figure out if there is a link between the alleged plot to assassinate Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissesssar and three cabinet ministers and the discovery of sophisticated weapons at the home and in the car of a businessman from Central Trinidad.

Media reports say officers for the Criminal intelligence Unit (CIU) and the Organised Crime Narcotics and Firearms Bureau (OCNFB) are looking for the businessman, who owns a car rental company in north Trinidad.

Police found the weapons on Tuesday in Chase Village. The weapons include a Mac-11 machine pistol and two 9 mm pistols. The reports say police found them wrapped in plastic inside a laptop bag in the trunk of vehicle owned by the businessman.

The report said the officers also found 34 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, 31 rounds of 7.62 ammunition, 52 rounds of .40 ammunition and 50 rounds of .45 ammunition in the car and a high-powered 303 assault rifle wrapped in a black plastic bag hanging behind a curtain inside the house. They also located 35 rounds of armour-piercing ammunition.

The Express newspaper said investigators are continuing their investigation to determine if there is a link to the plot. The paper cited an unnamed source as saying the man under investigation has sold a large cache of high-powered arms and ammunition to gun buyers.

Despite all the new developments, the Prime Minister is not curtailing her activities. She told reporters Wednesday she has confidence in the protective services.

"Of course, there is concern, but I do have confidence in the security forces who accompany me on my duties, and I do not think I should be stopped or frightened because of an alleged assassination plot. I have a job to do and I enjoy my job, so I am quite happy to be out, and I continue with my schedule," she said.

"I am being careful; I am not going to be reckless, but at the same time, I am not afraid," she added.

She also had some words to critics who say there is no plot and have demanded additional information:

"It would be reckless and foolhardy to go into the details that were shared with me by the Commissioner of Police and the other protective services. There will always be doubting Thomases; we know that, but I am not phased by that; all I can do is act on the recommendations made by the police and the Defence Force," she said.