In an official operation targeting unauthorized weapons possession, law enforcement authorities in Antigua and Barbuda have taken two local men into pretrial custody on multiple charges linked to illegal firearms and fraudulent vehicle documentation. The Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda’s Office of Strategic Communications confirmed the development in a public media release issued Tuesday, April 21, 2026, from the nation’s capital St. John’s.
The two defendants, identified as 26-year-old Orian Carr from Pares Village and 25-year-old Djarie Sheppard from Willikies, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel earlier this week. Following the court hearing, the pair were ordered to be held at His Majesty’s Prison until their next scheduled court appearance on April 28, 2026.
Carr and Sheppard face three total criminal counts each: unlawful possession of a Hi-Point C9 9mm Luger pistol, unlawful possession of seven matching 9mm rounds of ammunition, and fraudulent use of a motor vehicle license plate. The charges trace back to a routine patrol operation conducted in the early hours of Saturday, April 18.
According to police reports, at approximately 12:50 a.m. that day, officers assigned to the Willikies Police Station were conducting mobile patrols along Willikies Main Road when they spotted a blue Honda Fit traveling without a visible front license plate. Acting on this observation, the officers pulled the vehicle over for inspection. A search of the vehicle, conducted with both occupants present, turned up the loaded 9mm handgun and seven rounds of ammunition hidden inside the car.
Law enforcement immediately seized the illegal weapons and ammunition, placed both men under arrest, and moved forward with formal criminal charges after completing initial processing. This operation is part of the local police force’s ongoing efforts to crack down on illegal firearms trafficking and unauthorized weapons possession across the twin-island nation, working to reduce violent crime and maintain public safety for residents and visitors alike.