The Antigua and Barbuda government says it will extend by a further 90 days the operations of a special task force to deal with serious crimes, especially those that involved the use of firearms.
National Security Minister Dr Errol Cort said that notwithstanding the success of the force in recent days, “its task is still unfinished.
“In the circumstance, and after careful review, I have decided to extend the life of the Crime Task Force for further 90 days, after which another review will be carried out,” he said, adding that it was his expectation that over the next three months the force “will have even greater success in apprehending and bringing to justice those perpetrators of serious criminal acts, especially those who are involved in gun related violence.
“We will not allow criminal elements to hold our small island state at ransom. Our law enforcement officers will therefore continue to be proactive in securing and protecting the citizens and residents of and visitors to our twin island nation,” Cort said, praising the work of the Royal Police Force, the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force and the members of the Joint Task Force.
He said since the special task force had been in existence it had executed 91 search warrants, detained 152 people and arrested and charged 50 people on offences ranging from gun and drug activities.
In addition, several rounds of ammunition and firearms had been seized.
But Cort acknowledged that despite the success “there are some areas of the community which continue to be trouble spots” and that “the high visibility of uniformed officers, both military and police in ‘hot spots’ during ‘peak’ times has had the desired effect of reducing the levels of serious crime”.
Source-CMC
