Too much drugs coming through

From 2012 to 2016, there was an increase in the amount of drugs seized throughout the Caribbean.

In 2016, with respect to cocaine there were 29,486 kilos seized. For the same period, 1,165,465 kilos of marijuana were seized.

“If we look at the statistics from 2012, there were 20,818 kilograms of cocaine seized. For marijuana, 193,716 kilos were seized with 1,355 arrests. If you look at the difference between 2012 and 2016, you will see a marked increase, notwithstanding during the years 2013, 2014, 2015 there were highs and lows...but always an increase.” He continued, “It has been well established that in the Caribbean we have proven to be a main thoroughfare, especially through Trinidad and Tobago because of our location where it is appropriately situated.” Mc Alpin gave statistical data on drugs, firearms and ammunition seized by the TTPS for the first two months of this year as compared to the same period last year.

He said for 2016, 68.96 kilograms of cocaine were seized and for 2017 so far, nine kilos were seized __ a reduction of 86.95 percent.

In 2016, 225.56 kilos of marijuana were seized in the first two months. For this year, 76.24 kilos were seized, a 66.19 percent decrease.

“Arrest for cocaine... males, last year we had 93, this year so far, we have 116 arrests.

“An increase of 24.73 percent.

Last year during the same period we had three females arrested, and this year we have arrested nine females.

An increase around 200 percent,” Mc Alpin said.

“During the same period for females, we had 31 arrests last year, this year 69 females were arrested for marijuana. An increase 122.58 percent. With eradication exercises during the same period we had four eradication exercises, which resulted in the destruction of 10,650 fully grown marijuana trees.

“This year we had five exercises, which resulted in the destruction of 76,627 fully grown marijuana trees. An increase of almost 700 percent. Last year during the period of January to February we had 168 firearms seized, this year we have 150 firearms seized, a small decrease of 10.71 percent.” Mc Alpin said last year during the same period they had 129 males arrested for firearms, this year 133 were arrested, a 3.1 percent increase in arrests.