Police raids net 26 in Laventille and Cunupia

SIXTEEN persons were arrested in early morning raids in the Laventille area yesterday, and ten persons were also held in the Cunupia area. In Laventille, the exercise was conducted by members of the Inter-Agency Task Force and the Besson Street Criminal Investigation Department, headed by Insp Sahadeo Singh . The exercise ran from 2 am to 7 am. The raids were conducted in several houses in the Laventille and Beetham Gardens areas. The persons, ranging in ages between 19 and 33, were wanted in connection with several robberies, shootings and other offences in the Laventille and Beetham areas.

The arrested persons will appear in several identifications parades today and over the weekend, and before a Port-of-Spain magistrate on Tuesday. Ten persons were arrested in a similar exercise conducted in the Cunupia area between 4 am and midday by members of the Crime Suppression Unit, the Central Division Task Force, including Sgts Corbett and Ramlogan, and coordinated by Insp Kirk. One suspect was held for eight counts of rape of a minor, one man for attempted murder, another man was caught with a stolen car, and others were held for narcotics and other offences. The suspects ranged between 20 and 44 years old, and will appear before a Chaguanas magistrate on Tuesday.