Two held in $100m drug bust in La Romaine

Two suspects have been detained after police seized a $100 million shipment of marijuana in La Romaine, South Trinidad on Wednesday night.

The drug bust occurred around 9 pm after police stopped a van loaded with 28 bales of high-grade marijuana which had a weight of 704 kilogrammes.

Commenting on the operation, Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher, in a media release said: “The TTPS will continue to relentlessly dismantle the systems, networks and operations set up by local and international criminals, whose actions and selfish greed act as a catalyst for murders, shootings, gang violence and other serious crimes.”

“This significant drug seizure proves that everyone benefits when members of the public work alongside the police.”

Police said an investigative unit received information in August that a drug trafficking network, with ties to Colombian and Venezuelan cartels, was operating in the South Western peninsula.

“Officers acted on the information and conducted rigorous surveillance, where several key members of the network were identified," the release said.

Police also got information on an intended shipment and mobilised a team. The team intercepted a white Kia K2700 vehicle near Paria Suites and found 28 plastic-wrapped bales in the tray. The drugs carry an estimated street value of $105,473,280.

The drugs, vehicle and suspects were taken to the Marabella Police Station.