Cops seize over $6m in ganja, fuel, cash in south Trinidad

The police seized over $6 million worth of “high-grade” marijuana, several barrels of fuel, and cash in the South Western Division overnight on Wednesday.

Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher praised them for the find in the intelligence-led exercise.

A police statement on Thursday quoted the CoP as saying, “Hardworking and dedicated officers are out on the beat, working to make our country safe, and we are seeing the evidence of their persistent and consistent efforts with yet another meaningful seizure, that thwarts the plans of those involved in transnational crime.”

Police reports indicate that within recent months, an intelligence unit within the service concentrated on dismantling a drug trafficking network based in the southwestern peninsula.

The unit gathered intelligence, which suggested the network was amassing large quantities of diesel fuel from various service stations throughout the southern and southwestern areas.

The fuel was intended to be traded at a higher value in exchange for narcotics from a drug-trafficking network based in South America.

The statement said the police gathered key intelligence and held “rigorous and extensive surveillance,” which guided them in the exercise in Los Iros, Erin, on Wednesday.

They also searched a house nearby at Persad Drive, where they found 60 barrels of fuel.

A man then arrived and claimed to be the owner of the fuel. The police interviewed and asked him to produce documentation of the fuel.

The man could not provide any. The police arrested him and took him to the Marabella police station.

The officers also received information about another key network member and went to Mulchan Trace, Siparia, where they searched a compound.

They found 80 packets of high-grade marijuana, which weighed 43 kilogrammes, with an estimated street value of $6,442,260, in a white Toyota Aqua.

Inside the car they found $125,500 and US$100.

They seized the items and arrested three suspects.

Investigations are continuing.