A criminal investigation has been launched into reports that guns and ammunition, earmarked for destruction, were sold by certain police officers to criminal elements in Tobago.

The investigation, which is being undertaken by members of the Professional Standards Unit of the Police Service—headed by ACP Raymond Craig—has identified several police officers from the Tobago Division as being involved in the illegal activities.

It was triggered just over a year ago when then acting Commissioner of Police James Philbert flew to the sister isle after he was informed by a civilian that he had just rented a loaded firearm from a police officer.

Philbert and his team were taken to a location by the man; and the gun, which was identified as being in the custody of the police, was found and confiscated.

According to sources, three officers assigned to the Tobago Division are the subject of the criminal investigation after reports that they allegedly sold firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition, which should have been destroyed.

To date, police have not yet been able to ascertain exactly how much ammunition and how many guns were placed back on the streets instead of being destroyed.

Investigators, a source said, are expected to obtain certified copies of all the firearms and ammunition which were shipped from Tobago to Armory at the Police Training College, over a period of time, and were destroyed.

Contacted yesterday, head of the Tobago Division Snr Supt Harold Cumberbatch, in a telephone interview, declined to divulge information regarding the investigation, but said the probe was at a delicate stage.

"It's an ongoing enquiry and it's at a very sensitive stage, so I cannot disclose any information," Cumberbatch said.

The allegations, the Express was reliably informed, are that the officers would have sold and, in some cases, rented the guns and ammunition to criminal elements for thousands of dollars.

It is also alleged that the officers would have made false entries in the property and firearms register at that Scarborough Police Station, indicating that the arms and ammo were sent for destruction in Trinidad.