Police raid Ian Alleyne’s studio

Crime show host Ian Alleyne yesterday alleged politics behind a three-hour long raid by police on his studio within the Synergy Television offices in Chaguanas yesterday. Alleyne claimed that the police, while holding a warrant, and facing no opposition from Synergy staffers, still broke down the door to his studio.

The officers including members of the Central Division Central Task Force arrived at Alleyne’s studio at 3.45 pm and executed their search warrant. The raid was aired ‘live’ via Alleyne’s social media page and on Synergy television.

“Mr Jones, you can’t take that. It take months to format those things. You cannot seize that...those things are aired on television,” Alleyne is heard telling officers. His attorney Gerald Ramdeen is also seen in the ‘live’ feed.

The officers, some heavily armed, stood guard outside the studio and prevented Synergy staffers and Alleyne from entering while other officers examined laptops, computers and other recording devices.

An officer warns the person recording the incident to step back. “Listen mister the borse, how many times have we spoken to you? This is a police operation move back,” the officer tells the cameraman.

“The warrant states that police came to look at footage of a homicide that took place last week. The warrant says nothing about seizing equipment,” a female Synergy staffer says. Alleyne then accused the police of working on behalf of the government to terrorise him.

“I know what going on. They break down the door to get in here. I am not giving out my sources

they will come for Roodal Moonilal, David Lee. They will come for the Opposition Leader...anyone who speaks out against them, they will come for,” Alleyne says.

He then claimed that what the police really came for was a document related to the Petrotrin fake oil scandal. “They did not come for arms and ammunition or drugs...they came for information. This is the next step by government to muzzle those who are standing up against them. All those who called those jamette are now coming after them,” Alleyne said. As the officers began to leave, the crime show host shook hands with several of them before muttering sarcastically, “great is the PNM!”