Police detain 11 for gang-related offences under SoE

PORT OF SPAIN (CMC):

Police say Friday they have arrested 21 people, including 11 for gang-related offences during ongoing state of emergency (SoE) operations.

The police said that the 11 suspects, range in ages from 19 to 44 years, were detained during exercises on Thursday night in the Arima, Wallerfield, Guanapo and Malabar districts, east of here.

The police said that five additional suspects were arrested for possession of firearm and ammunition and possession of cocaine for trafficking.

“They were held with one black revolver loaded with six rounds of ammunition and one pistol loaded with a magazine and 16 rounds of ammunition,” the police said, adding that “two suspects, ages 41 and 39, were held in connection with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, while two Arima suspects were held for outstanding enquiries for store breaking and larceny. “

The police said they have also charged a prisoner on Thursday for the offence of possession of prohibited articles, stemming from an incident that occurred on Wednesday at the Golden Grove Prison, along the east west corridor.

They said, Rajee Ali, who is among people charged with the May 2014 murder of former special prosecutor, Dana Seetahal, was found in possession of one Samsung cellular device, one unbranded SIM card, and one cellular device charger “items considered prohibited without the express authorisation of the commissioner of prisons”.

“The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service remains committed to maintaining the integrity of our correctional facilities and ensuring accountability for breaches of prison security protocols,” the statement said.

Ali is currently detained at another facility after the commissioner of police, Allister Guevarro, said that the leaders of a criminal syndicate group remain imprisoned at a secure location where their communication is stymied.

“When I called for the State of Emergency, I warned that these criminal syndicates were using kidnappings and other crimes to fuel terror. With their leadership removed from their comfort zone and effectively cut off from directing their members, our operations continue with precision and resolve,” he said then.

The SoE was declared on July 18, and while it can be initially declared for one month by the president, it has to be extended by the House of Representatives in three-month increments, with a maximum aggregate extension of six months.

Parliament will meet on Monday to debate the SoE and further extensions beyond the initial six months require a resolution passed by both houses of Parliament, with a three-fifths majority vote, and each extension cannot exceed three months.