His warning was in response to a query during a news conference at the Office of the President on Wednesday, when he was asked about his concerns following the recent discovery of military-type equipment on the Corentyne and the fact that it has renewed concerns about smuggling and the procurement of weapons by criminals.

He admitted that the reported loss of weapons, a discovery made during a search by Army officials for some kit, has been causing some concern.

But the President said that judging from the reports submitted by the Army's administration they are "on top of the situation", as some weapons that persons had either stolen or attempted to steal have been recovered and only an M70 rifle is unaccounted for.

It was on this note that he remarked, "if we find people negligent or that they deliberately participated in criminal acts or sale of weapons etc., they will face the toughest penalties once the investigations are completed."

The Army has detained four soldiers who are assisting with investigations by the GDF Board of Inquiry and the Police following a botched attempt to steal two high-powered weapons, an AK-47 and an M70 rifle, and a fully-loaded magazine at the GDF Coast Guard Unit, Ruimveldt, Greater Georgetown.

The weapons were reportedly found under the beds of two soldiers and the magazine in the cupboard of another.

The fourth was arrested after he was fingered by one of the former as being given and having earlier sold the missing M70 weapon to a Berbice businessmen.

The GDF is seeking to trace that businessman whose name and address were given to investigators.

On the issue of arms smuggling, the President said that too is a big concern, adding that the matter was raised recently by Guyana's Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Odeen Ishmael with top U.S. State Department officials.

The issue is also of concern in the region, President Jagdeo noted and recalled mentioning in his recent address to the Jamaica Parliament about the uncontrolled smuggling of small arms to the region, and which comes from various sources.

He said it is a big priority and the governments will have to start look at the traditional areas where the guns may be originating.

Four people, a Surinamese, a Brazilian and two Guyanese are now in Police custody after a joint Army/Police operation netted a cache of sophisticated equipment at the 138 Line Path D, Corriverton Corentyne home of Salim Bacchus, brother of Azad Bacchus also known as `Ak47' who was killed in a shootout with the Berbice Anti-Smuggling Squad (BASS) last year.

In detention are Bacchus and Mohamed Shahurrudin also known as `Plantain' of 168 Albert Street and No. 79 Village, Corriverton, the two Guyanese; Amanda Sireli-Dos, a Brazilian and Sockhia Yohen, a national of Suriname, all of whom were at the house at the time of the arrest, officials said.

Shahurrudin, an importer of surplus military equipment has been reported as having made donations to law enforcement agencies here.

The items seized are a VHF Base Station (medium), a VHF Base Station Radio (large), nine hand-held radios, five cellular phones, a night vision goggle, a Silvia navigational map plotter, a blank Surinamese passport, a Guyana passport issued to Neil Chasawa, one Netherlands passport issued to Ricardo Doekhi, a Surinamese immigration stamp, one Surinamese Nickerie stamp, one Dale stamp and eight packs of fire crackers.

The arrest of the persons and seizure of the equipment were made as the Army intensified its `Operation Tourniquet' along the country's coastland in an effort to identify criminal elements who have been attempting to buy Army kit and equipment.

A source knowledgeable in the use of such equipment surmised that the joint Army/Police operation may have stumbled on either a drug trafficking, gun-smuggling or trafficking in bodies (back-track) operation or a combination of all such illegal activities.