Two guns seized, 55 held in police raids

Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher lauded police officers who recovered two illegal weapons, including an AR-15 rifle, drugs and arrested 55 people in a series of police operations on Friday.

Additionally, 223 drivers were issued tickets for driving under the influence of alcohol and other offences.

In a statement on Saturday, she said such measures were aimed at reducing the fear of crime and the level of criminality and enhance public trust and confidence in the police service.

The exercise, Operation Real Steel, took place across all ten police divisions, as part of efforts "to tackle and dismantle the criminal networks in TT."

In the Western Division, officers of the Gang and Intelligence Unit, Special Investigations Unit, Coastal and Air Support Unit and the Criminal Investigations Department went to a bushy area off the Morne Coco Road, Diego Martin where they found and seized an AR-15 rifle fitted with an empty magazine. They also arrested a suspected gang member with $56,521.

During that same exercise, four people were arrested – one for failing a sobriety test, another for driving with no driver's permit and certificate of insurance, one for aiding and abetting and a man for breaching a protection order.

In the Central Division, officers of the Task Force Area North seized a Smith and Wesson .22 revolver with 17 rounds of .22 ammunition at Union Village, Felicity. They also arrested four people for possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking and possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

In the Eastern Division, a 22-year-old man was arrested for the illegal possession of two 12-gauge cartridges.

In Port of Spain, nine people were arrested, six for driving under the influence of alcohol, one for disorderly behaviour, one for possession of camouflage and another for failing to give breath sample.

In Tobago, a Les Coteaux man was arrested for possession of 112 grammes of marijuana.

Officers also arrested 25 suspects in the Southern Division for various offences and enquiries.

Seven suspects were also arrested in the Northern Division for various offences.

Two were arrested for the possession of camouflage, one for wounding and robbery and traffic offences and one for possession of 715 grammes of marijuana. One man was also arrested for possession of a drug apparatus in the North-Central Division.