MORE GUNS and ammunition have been discovered at the St Joseph Police Station.

Despite two comprehensive searches conducted at the station on previous occasions, officers remain baffled as to how two home-made shotguns and over 300 rounds of assorted ammunition ended up within the precincts of the station on Wednesday night.

The find was made around 8.30 p.m. by Deputy Commissioner of Police Gilbert Reyes and a junior officer following information that illegal arms and ammunition were being kept in the station.

The station was placed on a temporary lock-down and searched. Two home-made shotguns and over 300 rounds of assorted ammunition were found concealed in the station’s kitchen behind a stove, while the ammunition was found stored in a locker which was last occupied by a sergeant two years ago.

Six boxes of 7.62 ammunition, still in its original boxing, along with 9 mm ammunition and other rounds were found stashed away. Following the find, three vehicles belonging to constables attached to the station’s Criminal Investigations Department (CID), which were parked on the station’s compound, were also searched, but nothing was found.

Sources say the sergeant who last had use of the locker was attached to a specialised unit where he was involved heavily in several high profile matters currently before the courts. He is currently on study leave and was transferred from the station two years ago.

A release from the Public Relations Department of the T&T Police Service confirmed the findings and stated that investigations were on-going ’to ascertain the origin and owners of the weapons and the ammunition.’

This is not the first incident of its kind to occur at this station. On August 8, six firearms inclusive of two home-made shotguns and a quantity of ammunition, drugs and other illegal items were found stashed in the station’s ceiling.

Following the find, 38 officers were transferred to various stations within the Eastern Division. At a media briefing held shortly after the incident, acting Commissioner of Police James Philbert said all officers will have to undergo a series of DNA and fingerprint testing, to ascertain whether they were involved in planting a cache of arms, ammunition and drugs in the station’s ceiling .

So far several of the transferred officers have subjected themselves to the testing which started last week and is currently continuing.

Three days after the find, another firearm was found hidden in the desk drawer at the station. All firearms have been taken to the Forensic Science Centre for ballistic testing.