Customs officers are to get valuable tips on firearms from the Island’s armed service.

Staff from HM Customs will undertake a familiarisation course designed to help spot firearms and their components in a partnership with the Bermuda Regiment.

And highly-trained soldiers will also advise Customs officers on how to make weapons safe and how to deal with ammunition.

Regiment Training Officer Major Martin Wyer said: “The Regiment is happy to share its experience with the other services on the island.

“It’s all part of making sure all the services are working together and cross-training wherever possible in each other’s areas of expertise.”

Between 15 and 20 Customs officers will spend the day at Warwick Camp on Friday, April 4, and will learn how to use and strip down a variety of weapons from the Regiment’s armoury to familiarise themselves with what the working components look like.

Maj. Wyer said: “Bermuda remains a relatively safe place, but it is not beyond the realms of possibility people might try to smuggle firearms, parts of them or ammunition into the island.

“We can help our colleagues in Customs with what to look for, how to safely handle any weapons or ammunition they might find and help to make Bermuda even safer.”

Regiment Commanding Officer Lt Col Michael Foster-Brown added: “It is a tribute to the professionalism and training of our soldiers that HM Customs has asked us to assist them like this.

“It’s all part of our commitment to working very closely with the other uniformed services as part of our mandate to support the civil authorities in a variety of roles.”

Collector of Customs Lucinda Pearman said: “It’s good to see all the uniformed services on the island working together and sharing their areas of expertise.

“We welcome the opportunity to have our officers working with the Regiment to enhance the crucial service they provide in keeping contraband of whatever kind off the streets of Bermuda.”