24/07/2024
HGP NIGHTLY NEWS- BREAKING NEWS- Local Law Enforcement believe that they have now dented an extensive arms trafficking network following the seizure of several small arms, high powered rifles and a quantity of ammunition outside the Home of a murdered Ricardo Fagundes, well known as โPaper Shortsโ.
Usually reliable sources have indicated that the suspected head of the local network had been on the police radar for a while. Diligent Police investigation found that the weapons discovered Wednesday morning were for sale to criminal elements operating in Guyana.
โBuyers included people linked to drug trafficking โ, according to a well placed source.
Police on Wednesday declined to give specific details on the networkโs alleged means of distribution, communication and concealment, but said it was โsophisticated and ruthlessโ.
Police on Wednesday reported that intelligence-led operation was conducted at about 05:30 hrs today (Wednesday, July 24th, 2024), during which a total of 26 handguns and high-powered rifles, along with a cache of ammunition, were found. Six persons have also been arrested and are in custody, assisting with the investigation.
The Police team, led by a Superintendent, went to Lot 25 Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, at the home of Eon Fagundes, a 47-year-old Clothes Vendor, where a Search Warrant was executed. As the Police team entered the yard, Eon Fagundes was seen exiting the door of a flat wooden house in the yard with a side bag in his right hand.
He was confronted, and a search was carried out in the bag and one Sig Sauer Rifle and one magazine containing fourteen 9mm rounds of ammunition, one Polimore-80 9mm pistol without serial number and one magazine containing eight 9mm rounds of ammunition, one Spring Field Armory 45 pistol and four magazines, one containing five live .45 rounds of ammunition, and one Bravo gun holster.
Fagundes was asked if he is the holder of a firearm license to carry said fi****ms and he said 'no'. He was told of the offences committed, arrested and cautioned.
A further search was carried out in the house, but nothing else was found. A black Nissan Juke vehicle (Registration number PVV 6472) was parked on Sandy Babb Street's southern side, facing west, opposite Eon Fagundes' house. The vehicle was well secured.
Eon Fagundes was asked who owned the car, and he said his daughter and his child-mother, but he was the person using the car. He gave Police the keys to the vehicle, and a search was then carried out in his presence and the following fi****ms, ammunition and magazines were found in a suitcase, one gulf bag and a haversack:
** One AM 15 rifle and two magazines containing sixty-one (61) .223 ammunition
** Two Ruger-57 9mm pistols and one magazine containing forty (40) 9mm ammunition
** One FN-45 pistol and two (2) magazines containing thirty-eight (38) .45 ammunition
** One Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol and one (1) magazine
** One Berretta 9mm pistol and one (1) magazine
** One Spring Field Hellcat 9mm pistol and one (1) magazine
** One Canik 9mm pistol and one (1) magazine
** One G***k 43 pistol and one (1) magazine
** Five G***k 19 pistols, nine (9) Magazines and twenty-one (21) 9mm ammunition
** Seven G***k 40 pistols and ten (10) magazines with eighteen (18) .40 ammunition
** Two G***k 17 9mm pistols and two (2) magazines
** One G***k 9mm pistol and one (1) magazine
** One G***k 45 pistol and one magazine.
Police also found in the bags and suitcase:
** Seventy-five (75) 12-guage cartridges
** Four hundred and fifty-six (456) .223 ammunition
** Four hundred and eighty-four (484) 9mm ammunition
** Eighty-three (83) 5.7- 28 ammunition
** Thirteen (13) 10 MM ammunition
** Three hundred and fifteen (315) 7.62 -39 ammunition and
15 magazines.
Eon Fagundes was further told of the offences committed and cautioned.
A total of 26 handguns and high-powered rifles were found during the successful Police intelligence-led operation.
The following persons who were at the said address in the house at the time of the Police operation were all arrested for questioning, namely:
** Carol Fagundes, the 66-year-old mother of Eon
** Devena Persaud, age 22 years, unemployed niece of Eon
** Theresa Fagundes, age 49 years, unemployed sister of Eon
** Tessa Persaud, age 48 years, unemployed sister of Eon
** Clement Thornton, age 48 years, a Handyman
The fi****ms, ammunition and magazines were taken to the GPF's Ballistic Section to be examined, fumed marked, sealed and lodged. The motor car was also lodged.
Investigations are in progress.