Bajan investigators sworn in as SRPs

Two members of the Royal Barbados Police Force were sworn in as Special Reserve Police (SRP) officers on Wednesday, senior police confirmed. They are a superintendent and an inspector, sources said.

The two arrived in TT on Tuesday afternoon, less than a week after the Prime Minister announced he would be seeking overseas help for local police in the probe into the seizure and return of $22 million in cash from "Drugs Sou-Sou" (DSS) administrators in September.

Asked if the investigation was kept at a standstill until the arrival of the two officers, a police source said the nature of the enquiry requires the involvement of local police, so the investigation was continuing even before the arrival of the Barbados officers.

"The investigation was launched before their arrival and it was still ongoing," the source said.

Police said they could not confirm when British investigators would arrive, as discussions on the involvement of the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) were still ongoing with the Ministry of National Security and local police.

On Tuesday, National Security Minister Stuart Young told Newsday that Police Commissioner Gary Griffith, who is in Europe on vacation, may visit the NCA's head office for further discussions on the matter.

On Saturday, Tobago police dispersed a large crowd of people who assembled outside a guest house in Tobago to deposit "investments" with a DSS administrator. Two people were arrested. Police said the DSS scheme in Tobago has stopped since the arrests.