In a coordinated early morning law enforcement operation targeting illegal contraband in Antigua and Barbuda’s Red Hill neighborhood, multiple specialized police units have seized an unregistered firearm, multiple ammunition magazines, and large quantities of cannabis, taking three suspects into custody, the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda announced in an official media release Monday. The operation, launched shortly before 5 a.m. on May 18, 2026, brought together teams from four key police divisions: the Criminal Investigations Department Task Force, the Gang and Guns Suppression Unit, the Special Services Unit, and the K-9 Unit, all deployed to execute multiple search warrants across separate residential properties and a vehicle in the community.
The first search, carried out at one targeted property, yielded the biggest haul: one illegal firearm, two loaded magazines, multiple rounds of live ammunition, and a undisclosed amount of cannabis. A single male suspect was arrested on site following the seizure, facing three charges including unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and unlawful possession of cannabis.
In a second, separate search of another nearby property in Red Hill, officers uncovered additional stockpiles of cannabis. Two more individuals were taken into custody from this location, both held on suspicion of unlawful cannabis possession. A subsequent search of a vehicle linked to the investigation also turned up a smaller portion of the controlled substance.
All seized contraband and three detained suspects have been transported to the nearest local police station, where investigators are continuing to build their case and process evidence, according to the official statement. The operation marks the latest push by Antigua and Barbuda’s law enforcement agencies to crack down on illegal firearms trafficking and narcotics possession in residential communities, part of a broader ongoing initiative to reduce gang-related violence and street-level drug distribution.