Eastern cops: Gangs involved in illegal quarrying

Senior police in the Eastern Division say illegal quarrying is one of the top criminal activities they will be focusing on dismantling.

At a media briefing at the Police Administration Building, Sackville Street, Port of Spain, on Thursday, ASP Murchison Fitzworme of the Eastern Division said illegal quarrying was a major challenge to the police, but they have been successful in making arrests and disrupting operations.

In a response to the Opposition in the Lower House on Wednesday, National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds said gangs were expanding their range of activities to illegal quarrying.

Fitzworme said police intelligence showed gangs were getting involved in illegal quarrying, which attracted people from across the country.

He said police had highlighted several areas in Valencia and Matura as areas where illegal quarrying was most common.

"We have partnerships with the Multi Agency Task Force to treat with this issue thoroughly, and also we keep networking with the Northern Division with the amount of equipment we have seized from exercises.

"People leave from as far as the Central Division to come to the Eastern Division to get involved in illegal quarrying activities. There is a link to criminal gangs and the quarrying.

"There are a number of people we will be targeting and we are using intelligence-driven exercises to treat with these incidents."

Fitzworme said the police were also focusing on illegal squatting, which he says has changed the landscape of several areas on Trinidad's east coast, to facilitate the escape of suspects. He said there was concern over criminals migrating to the Eastern Division to commit crimes and hide from police who may be pursuing them.

"Due to the intelligence received and in the analysis of crimes committed, it was unearthed that offenders are coming from outside the division.

"We have intensified strategic roadblocks, house searches and other exercises based on intelligence and networking. which yielded great results.

"Illegal squatting has also been a challenge. There has been a drastic increase in the population of the Eastern Division in squatting areas. In the areas of Valencia, Sangre Grande and Matura that were once unoccupied, there are many people who live there. These individuals have created a network of roads and tracks which aids in criminal activities."

So, he said,
the division intends is to reduce illegal squatting. Fitzworme says the police have partnered with the Land Settlement Agency and the Commissioner of State Lands to better tackle squatting.