Police believe they have made a dent in a major drug trafficking operation in South Trinidad, after they seized over $2 million in high grade marijuana in San Fernando, yesterday.
Four people were arrested and are expected to be charged and taken before the San Fernando Magistrates Court later this week.
Reports stated that from 8 am Monday, San Fernando CID and Southern Division Task Force were conducting surveillance on the Turney Street, Mon Repos, home of an alleged 40-year-old drug dealer after learning of suspicious activities taking place.
While staking out the area, around 11.30 am, the officers spotted a heavily tinted black Nissan Almera heading towards the house. Officers stopped the car, which was driven by a 32-year-old PH taxi driver of South Oropouche who is also a known drug dealer. In the car, officers found approximately 26 kilogrammes of high grade marijuana with an estimated street value of $1.56 million.
Shortly after noon, the officers got a search warrant, stormed the house and found the other drug dealer, a 44-year-old Claxton Bay plumber, and a female bartender of Mon Repos. Officers also found nine kilogrammes of high grade marijuana packaged in several small bags, ready for sale. The marijuana had an estimated street value of $540,000.
15 held, guns seized
Two guns were seized and 15 people arrested following two police exercises in the Port-of-Spain and North Eastern Divisions between Sunday night and Monday afternoon.
In the most recent exercise, police said they went to Belmont between 4 am and 1 pm Monday, where they seized a .38 revolver and six rounds of ammunition and held one man.
The remaining 14 people were held for various offences, including possession of narcotics and outstanding warrants.
The exercise was led by Port-of-Spain Division head Snr Supt Johnny Abraham and included ACPs Huggins and Alleyne, along with members of the Port of Spain CID and Task Force,
Hours earlier, North Eastern Division Task Force members seized a high-powered machine gun.
Police said officers from the Barataria Crime Patrol Unit, led by Cpl Halls, went to an abandoned house at First Street, off Sixth Avenue, Barataria, around 9 pm Sunday.
While searching the home officers found an AR15 assault rifle, which is worth at least $80,000 on the streets, along with two fully loaded magazines containing 35 rounds each. The gun and ammunition were hidden below the floor boards of the house. Constables Sean Harry, Ricardo Douglas, Rodwell Roach, Sameer Mohammed and Tyrone Sealey searched the surrounding areas and found nothing else illegal, nor did the officers find anyone who could explain how the gun ended up there.
MD caught with gun
A 45-year-old managing director of a recycling company and an administrative assistant were arrested in Gasparillo on Monday night after being caught with a gun.
Police said that around 9.35 pm, CID received information about the men and a team of officers led by Sgt Dale Ramroop went in search of the white Nissan Navara pick-up they were said to be in.
The officers intercepted the pick-up along Bonne Aventure Road, Gasparillo, which was occupied by the director of Woodbury Park, Diego Martin, and the 38-year-old assistant of Mahabir Gardens, Diego Martin. Officers searched the pick-up and found a Taurus 9 mm pistol and 19 rounds of ammunition. The men were taken to the San Fernando CID where they remained in custody up to last night.
The operation began around 8 am and was co-ordinated by Snr Supt Irwin Hackshaw, supervised by Don Gajadhar and executed by Sgt Teeluck, Sgt Ramroop, Sgt Ramlogan along with PCs Ali, Moses, Goddard, Rampersad, Gordon and WPC Valdez.
Two other people, ages 21 and 23, of San Fernando, were also arrested in connection with investigations into recent robberies.