Karamath mansion searched

According to police reports, shortly after 5 am yesterday the heavily-armed officers surrounded the mansion of Karamath, which is now owned by his son Khalil, where they announced a police presence and carried out an extensive search both inside and outside of the premises.

Following the thorough searches, officers came up empty-handed, but the police activities resulted in residents of the neighbourhood at Palm Drive, Valsayn North, to look on from their homes at the police action.

Under a state of emergency, officers do not require a search warrant if they have reasonable grounds to believe that a house contains illegal arms and ammunition, drugs and other illicit items.

Relatives of Karamath confirmed the police search but maintained that nothing illegal was found.

The last time police raided the same residence was on August 19 last year, when officers of the Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU) surrounded the house to seize documents relating to the inquiry into the construction of the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, but instead came upon a cache of arms, ammunition and drugs.

During that raid, officers seized 18 high powered guns, ammunition and marijuana.

The also took into their possession a quantity of exotic drugs. Five persons were charged for various offences following the police exercise.