Handgun ammo supplies run low
By Nicosia Smith
Stabroek News
June 18, 2004
Stocks of .32 ammunition have run low and handgun owners may have to wait a month or two before supplies come into the country.
The manager at Fisherman's Paradise Ltd., at Middle Street, which retails ammunition and firearms told Stabroek Business that they have only recently applied for an import licence since their stock ran out several months ago.
Stabroek Business understands that after gaining permission to import ammunition, an order must now be placed with the overseas purchaser which takes at times two or three months to process before the actual ammunition arrives.
An office assistant from another retailer, H. Mohameds General Store, at Robb Street, Lacytown, explained that the company has already placed its orders in the US to purchase .32 ammunition because their stocks were also depleted.
However, the assistant noted that the US State Department is now conducting additional security checks on applications for guns and ammunition and applications are taking around three months to process.
Since the September 11 terrorist attack in 2001 the State Department has heightened its security checks on applications and is conducting stringent verification checks to ascertain the status of the purchaser.
Stabroek Business was told that General Marine Co., Ltd.,(GMCL) has .32 bullets but is only selling the ammunition with gun purchases. The manager was not available for comment.
A preliminary report by the Bureau of Statistics for the July to December 2003 period, stated that over $51M in arms and ammunition was imported.