Security officials suspect illegal firearms are being shipped to Antigua and Barbuda in separate components, with some parts potentially disguised as ordinary objects before being assembled locally.

Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant said authorities believe entire firearms may not be arriving together in a single shipment, making the components more difficult to identify during inspections.

“The entire guns are not coming on any shipment,” Merchant said during Thursday’s post-Cabinet media briefing.

He said a firearm component could resemble an everyday object but become part of a working weapon when combined with other pieces.

“A piece of the firearm may come as a pen, but once assembled, it then becomes an entire firearm with other pieces,” Merchant said.

The government recently approved the purchase of new X-ray machines capable of scanning entire shipping containers and pallets of goods at the port. Funding has already been provided, and the acting comptroller of customs was instructed to proceed immediately with procuring the equipment.

Merchant said inspections of imported containers and other shipments are often conducted manually, creating opportunities for illegal items to escape detection.

“With the new X-ray machines at the port, it is believed that some of these illegal shipments will be captured,” he said.

The government also plans to provide specialised training to customs officers to improve their ability to recognise individual firearm components and other suspicious items.

Merchant said the authorities acknowledge that criminals continually change their methods, requiring security agencies to regularly upgrade their equipment, training and strategies.

The government is also considering additional equipment to strengthen the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force’s ability to monitor the country’s maritime borders. Officials believe improved surveillance, port scanning and intelligence gathering will be central to reducing the flow of illegal firearms into the country.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Police Suspect Illegal Guns Are Being Shipped to Antigua in Separate Parts.