Dominica Police Firearms Task Force seizes 49 guns at port in 2025
Acting Chief of Police Lincoln Corbette warns of rising gun violence, with 11 homicides and five armed suspects at large. A 30-officer task force targets illegal firearms.
Dominica Police launch 30-officer task force amid surge in illegal firearms
Acting Chief of Police Lincoln Corbette has warned of a sharp rise in gun violence in Dominica, pointing to an increase in firearm seizures, multiple unsolved homicide investigations, and five wanted suspects described as armed and dangerous. News.gov.dm reports that Corbette outlined the situation at a press briefing on Monday, 14 July.
Police are investigating two separate shooting incidents in Roseau that took place between 8 and 11 July. On 8 July, a masked man in a vehicle discharged a firearm near the Alliance Française building, targeting a group of people. "That shooting tragically claimed the life of Jeanyves Bruno of Canefield," Corbette said.
Three days later, a second shooting occurred on Ship Street, wounding a South Korean national employed aboard the Logos ship. "The victim was struck in the buttocks. Thankfully, his injury was not life-threatening and he has since been discharged from hospital," Corbette reported, adding that support was extended to the victim and his colleagues.
Eleven homicides recorded this year
Dominica has registered 11 homicides so far in 2025, four of them involving firearms. Six cases have been resolved, but the gun-related murders remain under active investigation. "We have suspects in three of those unsolved firearm cases and we are actively pursuing leads," Corbette said.
Police are currently searching for five individuals, all considered armed and dangerous: Ian Alfred of Yampiece, Stockfarm; Brent Alexander, 19, of Silver Lake; Jamaal Ishmael Alexis of Silver Lake; Scott Florent; and Ramali Henry. "We are urging the public to give us information as to their whereabouts so that we can deal with them accordingly," Corbette appealed.
Firearms Task Force operational since June
In response to the escalating threat, the police have deployed a dedicated Firearms Task Force, previously announced by Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit. The unit consists of no fewer than 30 officers and is led by an inspector of police, with a mandate focused solely on removing illegal weapons from the streets.
Since 6 June, intensified operations have yielded concrete results: 7 firearms seized — 5 from vehicle checkpoints and 2 from house searches — along with 84 rounds of ammunition, 16 motorcycles, 3 vehicles, and $15,000 in cash. An additional 1.1 kilograms of cocaine was recovered and 4 arrests were made. Officers conducted 40 vehicle checkpoints and 13 house searches during that period.
Port seizures already exceed full-year 2023 total
At the port of entry, 49 firearms and 289 rounds of ammunition have been intercepted so far in 2025, already surpassing the entirety of 2023's seizures. Among them were three high-powered AR-15-style rifles. "These are weapons of war," Corbette stated. "They do not belong on the streets of Dominica."
Year-on-year figures illustrate a fluctuating but persistent trend: 94 firearms seized and 51 arrests in 2022; 35 firearms and 42 arrests in 2023; 27 firearms and 31 arrests in 2024.
Amnesty programme and $1,000 reward
The police have introduced a firearm amnesty programme allowing individuals to surrender illegal weapons at any police station — or through a priest, pastor, or trusted community figure — without fear of prosecution. A reward of $1,000 is on offer for information leading to the recovery of illegal firearms. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIPS (8477).
Corbette also called on families to act. "We call upon parents that know that their child has firearms in the homes to ask them to surrender the weapons to the police," he said.
Source: Google News DM — Crime