Five Venezuelans, Trinidadian to face Siparia magistrate

Almost three weeks after police arrested and put five Venezuelans and a local in quarantine, South Western Division police on Wednesday formally charged them with several offences, including breaching covid19 regulations and entering the country illegally.

All six were expected to appear before a Siparia magistrate on Thursday charged with breaching the covid19 regulations.

A police release said police charged four Venezuelans – Jordan Jose Leon Rojas, Eddy Daniel Zapata, Edison Enrique Carrosqueros Rojas, and Jhonattan Josue Perozo Lugo – with entering the country without exemption, in breach of the covid19 regulations.

Police jointly charged the lone female Venezuelan, Karlas Irais Lisboa Rojas, and Trinidadian Nathaniel Squires, who live at Couva, with aiding and abetting in the breach of covid19 regulations by entering the borders without exemption.

Squires was expected to appear before the magistrate in person, while the other five accused were to appear virtually.

South Western Division police, with the assistance of the Defence Force, arrested the six during an exercise named "Operation Sea Breeze" at Bunsee Trace, Morne Diablo, in Penal on January 8.

PC Phillip of the South Western Division Task Force laid the charges.

The six were quarantined while investigations were ongoing.