Three of 19 still detained over $160m drug find

POLICE have released all but three of the 19 men who were arrested last month when the Coast Guard intercepted a foreign tanker and seized nearly 400 kilogrammes of cocaine.

Fifteen men – all Indian nationals – were released after police met with the Director of Public Prosecutions on Tuesday. A Turkish national was also released.

Their release came after investigators asked attorneys for 17 of the men to hold their hands on taking legal action.

The captain of the tanker, another Turkish national, and another Indian national are still in police custody.

The men were arrested on April 28, on board the tanker Throne, off the north coast of Trinidad. A search by the coastguardsmen led to the discovery of the 400 kilogrammes of cocaine hidden in the vessel’s fuel tanks. The cocaine had an estimated street value of $160 million.

Attorneys Wayne Sturge, Mario Merritt, Karunaa Bisramsingh, and Manuela Hospedales, who represented the Indian nationals, wrote to the Police Commissioner on Sunday seeking information on their clients who were interviewed but not charged after being in custody for 11 days.

The attorneys warned that they had instructions to approach the court with writs of habeas corpus applications to force the police to justify the detention of the men beyond 48 hours.

In reply, a legal officer with the police advised on Monday that the investigation into drug trafficking was actively being pursued but the language barrier was proving to be complex, and getting interpreters was difficult and was not done until last Thursday. It also took some time to interview them, translate, and transcribe the interviews.

Police also said the Throne, which was docked at Staubles Bay, Chaguaramas, had to be searched and that took seven days because of its size. He also said the tanks had to be emptied and at one point the tanker began to lean when the tanks were being emptied and this created a hazard.

Coast Guard engineers had to be called in to help and that caused a further delay in the investigation.

The police also complained of the challenges they faced because of the covid19 pandemic.