The facts are serious and mobilize the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the police forces and the State. Weapons of war, submachine guns and more than 2,000 ammunition were stolen from the premises of the Coast Guard during the night from Friday to Saturday.
It is in an already tense atmosphere, in the department, that weapons of war were stolen during the night from Friday to Saturday (November 19 to 20).
A fire and a theft
On Friday, shortly after 10 p.m., a tweet from Clémence Apetogor, journalist, was the first to mention a fire at the Customs Coast Guard station, located at Carénage, in Pointe-à-Pitre. The photo accompanying the message shows a burning customs vehicle.
The customs vehicle was set on fire #Guadeloupe pic.twitter.com/TnAfU51HAE
– Clemence Apetogbor (@Clem_Apetogbor) November 20, 2021
In reality, the case is much more serious … The arsonists also entered the premises with a very specific aim, to recover the arms and ammunition of the gabelous (customs officers). Material stored in two separate vaults, as required by regulations.
According to corroborating sources, the operation would have taken place in two phases, a first safe containing approximately 2,000 ammunition of 9 mm and 12 caliber, was first forced, then left in place.
The second was carried away, despite its heavy weight. Inside, a 12 gauge Remington shotgun, a 9mm automatic pistol and 5 semi-automatic submachine guns, also 9mm caliber.
And for good measure, the arsonists would also have boarded “Kaladja”, the speedboat of the Customs, which was moored at the quay, and in which they would have seized systems of vision.
A priority investigation
The case, at first, was not publicized by the authorities. This morning, the interregional direction of the Antilles Guyane coastguard, based in Fort de France was simply satisfied with a “no comment“.
The public prosecutor of Pointe-à-Pitre was not much more verbose, Patrick Desjardins simply confirmed the opening of a flagrant investigation entrusted to the research section of the gendarmerie. An investigation now of high priority.