Two men have been sentenced to six and seven years in His Majesty’s Prison in Anguilla after each pleading guilty to illegal possession of a firearm.
Simeon Cognette, 36, from Blowing Point appeared before the Anguilla High Court on 7 October, where he admitted previously having an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
The weapon was discovered on 9 April 2023 in Island Harbour, the Royal Anguilla Police Force said in a press release on 18 November.
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On 17 November, Cognette was sentenced to a six-year sentence for firearm possession, with 512 days spent on remand credited towards the term and included in the calculation of remission
He was also fined EC$10,000 for possession of ammunition which is payable within 12 months of his release.
Jason Ruan, 38, from Rey Hill also pleaded guilty in the Anguilla High Court on 7 October to possession of a firearm, contrary to the Firearms Act.
Officers from the VIPER Team had executed a search warrant at his home on 3 December 2024 and during the operation recovered one firearm and 11 rounds of ammunition.
The boat captain was sentenced on 17 November to seven years in prison.
The Royal Anguilla Police Force said it remains committed to reducing the presence of illegal firearms in Anguilla.
“[We] will continue to work in partnership with the community and regional agencies to ensure the safety of all residents and visitors,” it added.
Anguilla Focus has reached out to the police press office for further details and is awaiting a response.
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