Three held in major drug bust at sea off Point Fortin

A major drug haul in south Trinidad early Thursday saw three men detained when Custom and Excise officers seized drugs, said to be cocaine and compressed marijuana "worth millions."

A report said at about 5 am, Customs officers of the Interdiction Unit were patrolling the Gulf of Paria off the Point Fortin coastline.

While about one nautical mile at sea, they saw a boat with three men on board. They searched the unmarked boat and found the drugs "which resembled marijuana and cocaine."

The drugs were in a total of 32 rectangular-shaped packets.

The officers also saw several fuel containers on board.

They immediately detained the three men –a 41-year-old from Battoo Boulevard in Marabella, a 35-year-old from Crown Trace in Williamsville, and a 33-year-old from Fuller Street, Patna Village in Diego Martin.

The officers towed the boat to the Customs office at King’s Wharf in San Fernando, where investigators were expected to weigh the drugs.

Southern Division police, together with members of the Defence Force, were called and guarded the seized items and suspects. The area was cordoned off, and media personnel and curious onlookers looked on from a distance.

The detained men were seen handcuffed as officers inspected each packet, marking them for future identification.