A total of 20 people were arrested at J’Ouvert celebrations in Chaguanas.
Head of the Central Division Senior Superintendent Jayson Forde told the media the alleged offenders were arrested for various offences including illegal drugs, weapons, obscene language and fighting.
Forde said anyone carrying anything remotely resembling a weapon for Carnival would be arrested.
He promised a heavy police presence for the celebrations in a bid to keep negative elements out of the celebrations.
The senior officer said despite the arrests J’Ouvert celebrations went ahead without any major incidents in the Central borough.
Chaguanas Carnival Committee deputy chairman, Orlando Nagessar, said the police did an excellent job in keeping troublemakers away from the main parade venue, Ramsaran Street, where celebrations took place.
Nagessar said despite lower funding, Carnival 2016 was one of the biggest celebrations in the history of Chaguanas Carnival.
Nagessar said bands were allowed to exit the stage and leave the venue via Saith Park instead of proceeding west to Ramsaran Street where a large crowd had gathered in the presence of several bars.
Bands had in the past complained of stormers and pickpockets entering their bands.
The first band to cross the stage shortly after 6 am was Blu Hawaii, a presentation of bandleader Philip Jordan and Junabo.
This big band out of Lange Park has a tradition of sticking to a political theme for J’Ouvert.
But this year, Jordan said, it was all about having fun for Carnival. The committee had to plead with some bands to avoid throwing mud and paint on stage.
However, these calls fell on deaf ears and resulted in a few people slipping and falling when they crossed the stage.
Mayor Gopaul Boodhan and Carnival Committee chairman Ronald Heera played in the band Recession Ah Cyar Come.
Boodhan said he was pleased to see bands getting in and out of celebrations without hiccups as in previous years.
“This is the most exciting J’Ouvert we had in years; there are 20-plus bands expecting to cross the stage.”
Boodhan said Recession Ah Cyar Come was a community band whose players were allowed to play free.