Cops raid businessmen’s home

Officers of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service along with their colleagues from the Customs and Excise Bureau raided the San Fernando home of the businessman, and the homes of two other businessmen in Malabar and D’Abadie overnight Sunday.

The searches took place between 10 pm on Sunday and 10 am on Monday. A quantity of cash and documents were seized from the home of the San Fernando businessman which police believe may lead to a breakthrough in the investigation.

Nothing was found at the houses in Malabar and D’Abadie.

Sources revealed that the businessman has been questioned but is expected to be taken into custody at a later date. According to well-placed sources, the money and documents seized from the San Fernando businessman were taken to the Customs and Excise Division in Portof- Spain and on Monday those documents were being perused by a team of investigators who are also expected to be assisted by persons from the US Virgin Islands. According to reports, following the discovery of the US$2 million last Friday, officers received information that another container with a similar amount of US currency had arrived in the country last week and was cleared at the Point Lisas port by persons using false documents.

Officers believe the cash recovered last Friday originated from the US Virgin Islands and is part of a major money laundering and drug smuggling operation between operators here and in the American territory. Last Friday, at 3.30 pm, a party of Customs and Excise officers along with the police went to the Port Lisas port where a freight container was identified. Officers searched the container and found hidden among a quantity of plywood, bogus documents and the cash.