Vol. XI No. 1

Identifying Illicit Hand Grenades in Venezuela: A Snapshot Study

N.R. Jenzen-Jones & Pedro Pérez

Abstract

Hand grenades have been prominently associated with criminal violence in Venezuela for more than a decade, and attacks involving these weapons have enabled intimidation, extortion, kidnapping, and territorial control. This research note examines the countries of origin, functional types, makes, and models of 83 hand grenades—including both lethal and less-lethal types—documented during a research project that ran from 2019–2020. The resultant ‘snapshot’ study offers insights into the sources of these weapons, including domestic and international manufacturers, providing important context for understanding the widespread use of hand grenades by criminal groups involved in extortion, territorial control, and intimidation.

Issue: Vol. XI No. 1
Published: 31 August, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52357/armax75886

Peer-reviewed?: Yes

Keywords: Hand Grenades, Less-lethal Munitions, CAVIM, Venezuela, Criminal Violence, Social Media, Organised Crime

Bibliographic Information

N.R. Jenzen-Jones & Pedro Pérez, ‘Identifying Illicit Hand Grenades in Venezuela: A Snapshot Study’, Armax: The Journal of Contemporary Arms, Vol. XI № 1 (2025), pp. 95–108, <https://doi.org/10.52357/armax75886>.

About the Authors

N. R. Jenzen-Jones

N.R. Jenzen-Jones is a technical intelligence specialist and arms historian. He is the Director of Armament Research Services (ARES) and the Editor of Armax: The Journal of Contemporary Arms. Dr Jenzen-Jones holds a visiting fellowship at Nottingham Trent University. He previously held visiting fellowships at Staffordshire University and the University of Northampton, and was awarded the Buffalo Bill Center of the West’s 2022–2023 Resident Fellowship for his work with the Cody Firearms Museum. He serves in consultancy roles with several prominent national and international organisations, and has produced extensive research on a range of issues related to arms and munitions, from small-calibre cartridges to chemical weapons. Dr Jenzen-Jones is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers, a fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society, a life member of the Ordnance Society, and a member of the Historical Breechloading Smallarms Association (HBSA), the Arms & Armour Society, the International Ammunition Association (IAA), the European Cartridge Research Association (ECRA), the British Institute for Libyan & Northern African Studies (BILNAS), and the Pike & Shot Society.

Pedro Pérez

Pedro Pérez is the pseudonym for an intelligence analyst who focused on security issues in Latin America. He held a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from a Latin American university and a master’s degree with distinction in Security and Intelligence Studies from a European university. He served with a military intelligence unit in Venezuela before being honourably discharged. Mr. Pérez produced several analyses of small arms proliferation and use in Latin America for Armament Research Services (ARES) before he passed away in 2020.