CoP: South searches part of kidnapping probe

COMMISSIONER OF POLICE Gary Griffith clarified the reason behind police searches conducted in several homes in Gulf City early in May. The commissioner said the searches were part of a search for a prominent Jamaican businessman who had been kidnapped in April.

Griffith, in a statement made at the weekly police press briefing at the Police Administration building in Port of Spain, told reporters that they got credible information that the businessman, Yohan Chin, could have been held in a location close to the houses which were searched.

“The criminal law act gives police the authorisation to act if they believe someone is engaging in a criminal activity that can amount to physical violence, and failure of the police to act immediately may result in serious injury or death to someone,” Griffith said.

“The TTPS during that kidnapping operation got information to verify that the victim was actually in close proximity to the area where the police conducted searches, and that is what it is they did.

“It is the right of the police to have conducted that operation."

The Commissioner assured that none of the residents in the area were now suspects in the matter, and allayed concerns that Chin was involved in any criminal activity that would lead him to be targeted by kidnappers.

Griffith also commented on critics of the search action, saying that if it were their children who had been kidnapped, they would want police to leave no stone unturned.

On April 14 Chin’s local business partner got a call from him, saying that he had been abducted by two armed men wearing ski masks and hats which had the word police on them. He said they came to his home and took him to an unknown location, and advised him to gather some money. The kidnappers made a ransom demand of US$ 6 million and ordered Chin’s business partner to sell cars and parcels of land to gather money for the ransom.

At one point calls went cold, prompting family members to put out an ad, calling for Chin’s abductors to reach out so negotiations could be completed.

Meanwhile, police searched for possible locations where the kidnappers could be hiding Chin and their investigations led them to Penny Avenue, in Gulf view.

From as early as 5 am on May 3, officers of the Southern Division Task Force, Special Operations Response Team (SORT) the Canine Unit and the Financial Investigations Bureau locked the area down and conducted searches.

Newsday understands at least five houses in the area were searched.

Griffith told reporters yesterday Chin has since been released and police debriefed the kidnapping at length, two days ago. Chin is now said to be back in Jamaica.