8 more 'gang suspects' from Arima to Point Fortin detained under SoE

EIGHT new preventive detention orders issued under the state of emergency (SoE) against alleged gang leaders and members accused of fuelling violent crime, trafficking operations, and orchestrating plots from behind prison walls have been gazetted.

The eight legal notices, issued between August 13 and August 25, were gazetted on September 2, and identify organised criminal groups (OCGs) operating across communities from Arima to Diego Martin, Penal, and Point Fortin.

The notices suggest several detainees were not only active on the streets but also continued to influence gang activity while incarcerated. One alleged faction leader with access to a cache of rifles was accused of working with imprisoned gang leaders to plan public executions of security officials and coordinate kidnappings. Another was said to be an active participant in prison-based criminal networks that smuggled contraband, including narcotics and cellphones, to sustain gang activity on the outside.

The notices describe plots to carry out reprisal shootings and executions in Arima, Diego Martin, and other areas such as Toco. In one case, a detainee was linked to a series of high-profile robberies targeting banks and casinos, planned to take place in crowded public spaces with high-powered weapons. Others were accused of resuming marijuana trafficking and intimidating witnesses to reassert control over their territories.

One detainee was described as the owner of maritime vessels, allegedly used to move narcotics, firearms, ammunition, contraband, human cargo, and even fuel, while acting as a conduit for information between compromised security officials and international criminal partners. Another was accused of using his business as a front for stolen narcotics and of redistributing them locally.

The detention orders pointed to detainees’ access to caches of high-powered firearms and their intent to launch imminent attacks. Planned targets included rival gangs, state officials, and civilian bystanders caught in the crossfire. Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander noted that without intervention, these plots would have resulted in a wave of killings, kidnappings, and public violence.

All eight were detained under Regulation 14 of the Emergency Powers Regulations, 2025, which allows the minister to order preventive detention if satisfied that an individual poses a threat to public safety. The orders emphasised that detention was necessary to disrupt imminent criminal activity and prevent escalation of violence.

Since the SoE was declared on July 18, nearly 50 detention orders have been gazetted, with detainees ranging from street-level enforcers to alleged gang bosses and facilitators inside state institutions. A Review Tribunal has been set up to hear challenges to these orders.