Police from the Trinidad Police Service uncovered 600 rounds of military-grade ammunition after an overnight stakeout at an empty lot in Couva, though no arrests were made. Among the recovered items, officers found 40 tracer rounds of 5.56 ammunition, commonly used by the military due to their pyrotechnic charge, which allows shooters to track the bullet’s path. These tracer rounds, along with the rest of the ammunition, were identified as Israeli-type 5.56 rounds known for their precision and armor-piercing capability.
The ammunition was found in a black plastic bag inside a bucket, containing three bandoliers, each with 160 rounds of 5.56 ammunition, along with the 40 tracer rounds. The operation was carried out by officers from the Southern Division Task Force, who surveilled the location from 10 a.m. Thursday until 4 a.m. on Friday. Despite the extensive surveillance, no suspects were apprehended. The ammunition was later taken to the Marabella Police Station for safekeeping.
Last week National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds confirmed that an investigation is underway into the disappearance of more than 25,000 rounds of 5.56 ammunition from the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment, the main ground force of the country’s Defence Force (TTDF).
According to local media reports, 25,753 rounds of ammunition went missing from the 1st Engineer Battalion Bunker at the Cumuto Barracks after being relocated in 2022. The disappearance was discovered earlier this month during a routine physical examination at the facility.
The minister assured that the investigation will determine the accuracy of the reports, the circumstances surrounding the disappearance, and any necessary national security actions.
Authorities have not yet confirmed if this find is related to the missing ammunition from the regiment.
