The Royal St. Lucia Police Force (RSLPPF) is trying its best to curb the smuggling of illegal weapons into the island, but Police Commissioner Vernon Francois said police officials find illegal weapons “actually every day” when they carry out searches and conduct investigations.
Francois made this disclosure at a press conference yesterday.
“The fact of the matter is we do not manufacture firearms in St. Lucia apart from the few homemade guns. They are actually coming to St. Lucia through our porous borders,” Francois admitted.
However, he said the police work constantly to tighten up borders to reduce smuggling.
“I won’t disclose the logistics of how it is done, but I want St. Lucians to rest assure that we are on top of the situation, in terms of preventing firearms from coming through our porous borders.”
Francois further revealed that there are a lot of “little bases around the island” that people can use to smuggle firearms and other illegal weapons here. However, he said police officials have been doing their best to secure these areas and prevent the illegal weapons from entering the island.
“One firearm is one firearm too many in this country,” he added.
The RSLPF leader said as law enforcement officials, it is their duty to keep chasing after the people responsible for smuggling these illegal weapons or those in possession of one.
“We are hoping to form a greater partnership with the judicial system as it relates to dealing with people who are in possession of firearms, because a firearm is a deadly weapon,” he said, while urging citizens to report anyone who might have an illegal weapon or knows of someone who might be engaged in the trade.