Port of Spain City Corporation workers on bail for gambling, smoking weed

SIX Port of Spain City Corporation workers have been granted bail of $500 and will appear before a Port of Spain Magistrate next month, after they were arrested and charged for assembling for the purpose of gambling and smoking cannabis.

The arrests were made by special operations municipal officers of the Port of Spain City Corporation on Friday morning.

The men were identified as Wendell Jordan, 63, of John John, Laventille; Andrew Sween, 58, of Cantaro Village, Santa Cruz; Christopher Mohammed, 54, of Endeavour Chaguanas; Ishmael Gomez, 47, of East Dry River, Port of Spain Sherman Wilson, 66, of San Juan; and Ishmael Mitchell, 40, of Laventille.

The arrests took place at the corporation's transport and cleaning division,a release from the police service said.

The release said that at 7.30 am on Friday, officers of the municipal police's multi-operational unit, under the supervision of Supt Glen Charles, arrived at the division where they saw a man sitting at the northern end of the building, "smoking what appeared to be a long cigarette with a scent similar to that of marijuana smoke."

The report alleged, upon seeing the officers, the man "quickly swallowed the substance, tossed the long cigarette in the opposite direction and proceeded to walk away," but was intercepted by the officers and arrested.

An hour later, officers reportedly proceeded to Central Market, where the officers saw two men who appeared to be smoking "long cigarettes with a scent similar to that of marijuana smoke."

The officers approached the group of men and asked if they were smoking cannabis in a public place while on duty. They were also arrested.

Not far away, the police statement continued, officers reportedly saw three men huddled in a corner around a table with money atop.

"Upon noticing the officers, the men allegedly grabbed the money and proceeded to run in the opposite direction of the law enforcement personnel. They were caught a short distance away, arrested and taken to the city police headquarters where they were charged for the offences," the police report stated.

The exercise, spearheaded by Cpl Maharaj, is what the police has described as part of an ongoing initiative to curb "gang activities" within the City Corporation.

Supt Charles said his officers and specialised sections are working on several leads and more arrests are expected soon.

Charles said, although the criminal issues are multi-layered, his team "is committed and are going after the suspected perpetrators to ensure the safety of all burgesses in the capital."