Hoodwinked: Police boasts seizing firearms for toy guns

Last Updated on Thursday, 15 January 2026, 22:27 by Writer

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) on Thursday boasted that it seized eight “firearms” but experts say only the shotgun is a real firearm and the seven airsoft guns are actually “toy guns”.

The GPF did not respond to questions such as “why the police called the airsoft guns firearms when, in fact, they are not?” and “did the Guyana Police Force seek to hoodwink the public into believing it was a major arms and ammo breakthrough by calling them “firearms”?”

Sources said this raises serious questions about whether people are operating security services, providing so-called armed guards who are actually carrying toy guns that imitate the look of real guns.

The sources say this also points to the failure of the GPF to conduct routine inspection of guard and guard services to ascertain whether they are allowed to bear arms, whether the guns are real, unlicensed or are toy guns.

No licence is required to carry a toy gun but it is an offence to use a toy gun to commit an offence.

Below is the Guyana Police Force statement claiming that eight “firearms” were found.

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Police are investigating the discovery of several firearms and ammunition following an intelligence-led operation conducted on Tuesday January 13, 2026 about 16:30hrs at several locations, including a supermarket and a shopping mall in Sophia, Greater Georgetown and a supermarket in Lusignan, East Coast Demerara.

During the operation, ranks contacted several security guards employed with a private security service who were on duty at the respective locations. One security guard, a 31-year-old male of Sophia, who was on duty at a supermarket in Sophia, was found in possession of an airsoft rifle and was unable to produce a permit.

At another location, a 34-year-old male of ‘B’ Field, Sophia, who was on duty at a shopping mall in Sophia, was found armed with a 12-gauge shotgun containing two live cartridges. Checks revealed that the serial number was filed off and no licence or precept was produced.

Further searches conducted at a third location resulted in the discovery of an airsoft rifle in the vicinity of a guard hut. The security guard at that location, a 38-year-old male of Cummings Park, Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara, who was on duty at a supermarket in Lusignan, stated that the firearm was issued at the commencement of his tour of duty.

Subsequent enquiries led ranks to contact the supervisor and owner of the security service, a 40-year-old male of Industry, East Coast Demerara. A search conducted on his motor vehicle revealed five airsoft firearms, comprising three airsoft pistols and two airsoft rifles. He was unable to produce permits or licences for the firearms.

In total, eight firearms were recovered, along with two rounds of ammunition. All firearms and ammunition were processed and lodged pending further investigation. The suspects were taken into police custody and are assisting with the investigation.

Investigations are ongoing.