Police quizzing three suspected of being gang members

THREE men believed to be members of the Rasta City gang from Beetham Gardens, are being held at three police stations in south Trinidad, as police question them on alleged gang activities.

At Wednesday’s weekly media briefing, police public information officer ASP Wayne Mystar said they arrested three people suspected of being in gang-related activities ranging from leadership to membership.

Newsday spoke with senior police sources who confirmed that four people were arrested last week. The four were held a day after the Bath Street, Port of Spain home of a suspected Rasta City gang leader was searched, but he was not at home at the time and is being sought by police. The four were held between September 18 and 19. On September 20, police successfully argued that they needed extra time with the suspects and were given 14 additional days to keep the men in custody.

On September 21, one of the four was released while the remaining three are being held at the Barrackpore, Mon Repos and San Fernando police stations. Police said the men have been questioned in relation to intercepted telephone conversations among them. The conversations revolved around money and spans between August last year up until they were arrested. The longest conversation played for the suspects so far was close to a minute with police reaching as far as March with their recordings.

The Anti-Gang Act allows the police 72 hours to detain someone without charge, and if further detention is needed they can apply to a judge. It also gives police the authority to intercept communications between alleged gangsters with the approval of a judge.

The trio are being represented by attorneys Richard Clarke-Wills and Adrian Thompson.