16 NABBED IN COVID19 FETE

Hours after he warned the nation that police would be out and about to target those wanting to hold private "covid19 fetes", Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith led a raid shortly after midnight on Good Friday and arrested 16 people including eight Venezuelan nationals.

A release from the TTPS stated that based one of his informants, Griffith led a team of officers from the Special Operations Response Team (SORT) to Alicia's Guest House in Cascade at about 12.30 am. Officers held the 16 people around the pool area of the establishment.

Of the eight Venezuelans, seven are women, with one being a minor aged 17. Some of the women were scantily dressed. The detainees were taken to Besson Street, Four Roads and West End police stations for processing. The 16 were in breach of Regulations of the Public Heath Ordinance, implemented in March to combat the covid19 spread.

At the daily Health Ministry virtual press conference on Thursday, Commissioner Griffith warned promoters about having covid19 quarantine parties and private citizens against having similar fetes at their homes.

Police said that intel revealed that 50 businessmen were planning to attend a party at Alicia's Guest House at 1 am. But a marked police vehicle drove pass earlier and may have rattled the promoters. Griffith in the release said he and his team then decided to move in earlier than planned.

They arrived at Alicia's in unmarked vehicles and quickly mobilised to ensure when the trap was sprung, none of the covid19 feters could be able to escape into the night. The officers counted 16 people in the pool area with some women dancing and grinding on several men.

Confirming visually that regulations were being breached, the officers moved in and arrested all 16. With the assistance of the CID and the Emergency Response Patrol (ERP), the 16 were transported to the three police stations and are assisting police in further investigations.

Two of the 16, were found with keys to the premises. Griffith said the owners of the property will also be brought in over the Eastern weekend for questioning.

"If you did not hear, then you would feel. No more warnings! I have informants throughout the country and we would turn up when these people least expect it. We anticipated this, as there are similar fools in other countries doing the same thing. There were reports of similar quarantine parties held in cities, such as New York where a number of people died from the virus as a result of attending such parties.

"Hundreds of similar parties have been shut down in UK on a nightly basis. We know of copycats so we expected promoters here would try to do the same thing. As I said at the media conference, this health crisis is a ticking time bomb and now is not the time to drop our guard or become complacent," Griffith said.

He added that type of action is most irresponsible, can place many lives at risk and will not be tolerated. He thanked the public for informing him of the covid19 fete.

Griffith pleaded with the public to help the TTPS help safeguard the country. If you see something, say something via calls to 555, or messages inclusive of photographs or videos of anyone breaching the Health Regulations via the Police App, or whats app 482-GARY.

According to Section 3 (1) of the Public Health (2019) Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)(No 7) Regulations 2020, where the number of persons gathered at any time exceed five, on summary conviction, persons are liable to a fine of $50,000 and to imprisonment for six months. Police said the 16 could face the courts next week to answer charges.