CRIME STOPPERS Trinidad and Tobago has doubled its reward for tips leading to gun seizures for the remainder of the state of emergency (SoE).
The rewards have risen to $4,000 for every handgun recovered, $5,000 for a shotgun and $7,000 for automatic rifles.
At a media conference on March 27 at the Sackville Street, Port of Spain, Police Administration Building, Crime Stoppers director Darrin Carmichael warned "silence is deadly" as he urged the public to do their part.
“We are a point where gun crime and gun violence is disrupting and affecting families, communities, business, and the country as a whole, in a very serious way.”
Acting Commissioner of Police Junior Benjamin said with shootings accounting for almost 75 per cent of this year’s murders, it is important that guns be taken off the streets.
“There have been 94 murders this year and that is 94 too much. At least 69 of those murders were done with the use of firearms.”
He said statistics also showed more than 25 per cent of the victims were younger than 24-years-old.
“To me that is a significant statistic because we recognise the weapon of choice used in these homicides is the firearm.
“Therefore this gun removal programme is very critical and pertinent for us as we seek to reduce the crime situation.”
The SoE that was declared on December 30 end on April 13.
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