Reward offered for T&T army’s missing Galil assault rifle

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – The Ministry of National Security is offering a reward of TT$75,000 for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of persons responsible for the disappearance of a Galil assault rifle from the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF).

A statement issued by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) said that on June 3, an officer attached to the Teteron Barracks in Chaguaramas, signed for the rifle, which he received and subsequently secured.

“The officer then left the Teteron compound and returned sometime later, when he discovered that the rifle was missing. Extensive checks were made; however, the weapon was not found,” the police statement noted.

Speaking during a news conference late Sunday, acting Commanding Officer of the TTDF, Lieutenant Colonel Ashook Singh, confirmed the disappearance of the weapon, adding that despite numerous searches the Galil assault rifle was not found.

“Additionally, we would have alerted the Inter-agency Task Force with regards to the missing weapon and we are currently working alongside them in terms of gathering further intelligence and information with regards to the missing rifle,” Singh said.

He said the army regards the disappearance of the gun “as a very serious incident” and will continue to work alongside the  police “to diligently find this assault rifle and bring the perpetrators to justice.”

Chief of Defence Staff, Air Vice Marshall Darryl Daniel, who was also at the conference, said the incident was “very disturbing” but  sought to assure the public saying “be guided that the decisions, the recommendations and the request made by the Defence Force are in place to prevent such incidents from occurring.”

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