Antigua and Barbuda’s national cabinet has formally approved a plan to introduce specialized detection dogs at the country’s ports, a key new measure in the nation’s ongoing campaign to block illegal firearms and ammunition from crossing its borders. The announcement came following a post-Cabinet briefing led by Maurice Merchant, Director General of Communications, who outlined that the canines will undergo specialized training to assist port security, police and customs teams in identifying concealed firearms, ammunition and undeclared currency being smuggled into the country. As of the briefing, Merchant declined to disclose key details including the number of dogs to be acquired, the total budget allocated for the program, or a firm timeline for deploying the new detection teams. The approval of this initiative comes after extensive consultations between cabinet members and senior leadership from both the national police force and customs department, focused on addressing the growing challenge of gun crime and illicit weapons trafficking into Antigua and Barbuda. During these discussions, cabinet members conducted a thorough questioning of the customs comptroller regarding current protocols for inspecting and clearing incoming shipping containers, which represent a major entry point for contraband. Beyond the detection dog program, the cabinet has issued new directives to strengthen border security protocols: officials have called for heightened inspection scrutiny during the container clearance process, ordered customs teams to accelerate the acquisition of portable scanning devices, and pushed for faster progress to bring the port’s main fixed container scanner into full operational service. Merchant once again did not provide a specific timeline for the delivery or deployment of these new scanning technologies. For national security officials, the addition of detection dogs creates a complementary layer of security for checking cargo and high-risk areas across port facilities, designed to intercept illegal weapons before they can enter domestic circulation and fall into the hands of criminal groups. Merchant emphasized that cabinet views robust border enforcement as an indispensable pillar of its national strategy to combat gun crime, working in tandem with active police operations to seize and recover illegal weapons that have already been smuggled into the country. The urgency of these new measures was underscored by a recent fatal shooting in the community of Bathlodge that claimed the life of 29-year-old Saquania Anthony, leaving two additional people injured. During the cabinet meeting, members extended formal condolences to Anthony’s family and reaffirmed their growing alarm over the frequency of gun-related violence across the nation. In addition to border security reforms, cabinet has also instructed national police forces to ramp up enforcement actions and expand intelligence-led targeted operations to disrupt organized criminal activity that fuels the local gun trade.
Antigua and Barbuda Cabinet Approves Detection Dogs for Ports to Find Guns and Ammunition
