US$2M found in crocas bags

According to reports, Customs and Excise officers Susan John and a male colleague, acting on intelligence information and accompanied by heavily- armed officers of the Inter- Agency Task Force (IATF), under the supervision of Snr Supts Rajkumar and Boxill, Supt Mohammed, ASP Daly and others, Port-of-Spain CID and the Guard and Intelligence Branch officers, went to the Pt Lisas Port at around 3.30 pm on Friday to examine the contents of a freight container on a trailer.

When the Customs and Excise officers opened the container, they initially discovered a quantity of plywood, but on further examination, found two blue-coloured crocas bags concealed between the plywood.

When officers examined the bags, it contained a quantity of US currency, which was verified as genuine.

Officers of the Financial Intelligence Bureau (FIB) of the TT Police Service were later alerted.

Sunday Newsday understands that it took officers several hours to check the US currency, which amounted to US$2 million And while this was being done, the police provided support to their colleagues from the Customs and Excise Division.

Reports are that shortly after 9.30 pm on Friday, the bags containing the cash were placed in an armoured vehicle and transported to the Customs and Excise Division in Port-of- Spain.

Sunday Newsday also learnt that, based on intelligence information, a similar container carrying the same amount of cash, was already cleared by Customs and collected by someone using false documents.

On Friday, the officers also discovered a quantity of false documents in the container where the cash was found but they are working on information that the container was in Jamaica and then moved to several parts of the Caribbean before it arrived in Trinidad at Pt Lisas.

This seizure has now prompted a full-scale investigation by the Customs and Excise, Police, Interpol, FIB, and regional agencies.

Sunday Newsday understands that authorities in Jamaica are to be contacted to assist in this high-profile probe while attempts are also being made to ascertain who collected the first container with the same amount of cash.