Police silent on whether undercover police spies were in operational activity again

Last Updated on Sunday, 19 May 2024, 20:02 by Writer

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) was Sunday mum on whether intelligence gathering and espionage agents of its ranks on Saturday continued to engage in overt rather than covert operational activities, in contrast to decades of practice.

The GPF did not acknowledge that any 0f the agents who confronted it were present during the arrest of a man on Brutus Street, Agricola, Greater Georgetown was a member of the Special Branch.

A former senior law enforcement officer told Demerara Waves Online News that the long-held mode of operation by Special Branch was “covert” because to do otherwise would be to risk exposing their identities if they were required to give evidence in a court of law.

Special Branch agents were involved in the shooting death of a young man at Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara in 2022, and in March 2024 agents mistakenly opened fire at a policeman who was driving his car.

The Police Force Public Relations Department did not dispute or deny that Special Branch agents were part of Saturday night’s gun seizure.

However, that law enforcement agency said that police, acting on information received at about 11 p.m. Saturday went to Brutus Street, Agricola, where they seized an unlicensed 9mm pistol from a 31-year-old unemployed man.

The Agricola resident resisted arrest, and he, along with another man who attempted to attack one of the police ranks with a cutlass, were both shot to the left knee and left ankle, respectively, the police force said.

“When the Police arrived in Agricola last night, they saw the 31-year-old resident sitting in front of his premises on Brutus Street in the company of several men. The ranks approached him, told him that they received information that he had an illegal firearm in his possession and requested to carry out a search of his person. He refused and started behaving in a hostile manner. The ranks attempted to search him, but he reached to his pants crutch, pulled out a 9MM pistol and pointed it at the ranks.

“One of the ranks, who was armed with a ‘service’ pistol, discharged a round in his direction, which hit him in the knee. He fell to the ground, and the firearm fell next to him. The rank took possession of the gun and, as the ranks attempted to place the 31-year-old man in the police vehicle to take him to the GPHC, a large crowd gathered and started to behave in a very hostile manner toward the Police,” police said.

According to police, persons in the crowd managed to take the resident away from the officers, place him in a white Axio motor car bearing registration number PAD 7596, and attempt to escape the scene.

Police added that the ranks called for assistance and a team from the Tactical Services Unit responded and attempted to apprehend the man.

Police added that at this point, a male who was among the crowd, armed with a cutlass, rushed towards one of the police officers and attempted to chop him. The officer discharged a round in his direction, which hit him on his left ankle.

The two injured men were escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where they are receiving treatment under police guard.

The firearm found in the 31-year-old’s possession was processed. The magazine was ejected from the firearm, and it contained 12 rounds of 9MM ammunition. Investigations are ongoing, police said.