National Security Minister Myles LaRoda says he is hoping the discovery by police last week of a rocket-propelled grenade launcher is not an indicating that such high powered weapons are finding their way into The Bahamas.
‘That piece of equipment … it could do damage. We are concerned that that type of weaponry is here. We hope that this is a one off, but we have to be prepared now that we’ve found at least one of these devices to look even deeper.
‘It raises a concern of what criminal elements, and it really shows why we should tighten, as a ministry in national security, our techniques, our innovation in detecting these types of equipment that has found its way into The Bahamas,’ LaRoda told reporters.
Police said officers from Operation Black Scorpion, assisted by the Anti-Terrorism Unit and Canine Support Unit, were acting on information when they searched an area on the southern side of Pride Estates.The authorities said that beneath the stove, officers found a green camouflage bag containing the launcher.
LaRoda said that the discovery has raised security concerns and is urging the public to allow police to carry on with their investigations.
Laroda said the weapon could cause serious damage, adding that officials hoped its discovery was an isolated incident. Asked how the military weapon entered the country, Laroda declined to comment on the specifics but said the Commissioner of Police was taking the matter seriously.