Drug smuggler shot in late-night sting

According to reports, as a result of information received from the Intelligence Unit, Carenage police officers and the Western Division Task Force officers awaited a speedboat filled with cocaine and its occupants.

As the boat came to shore at about 10 pm, the officers challenged the three male occupants. One of the smugglers pulled out a gun and started shooting, while his two colleagues ran back to the boat and sped off.

The gunman was shot in his leg, dragged to a police vehicle and rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. He has since been treated, and is being held by the police. The area was quickly cordoned off as residents who had initiated their own curfew because of crime in the area, ran to the scene on hearing the gunfire.

Residents were prevented from entering the area and, like Newsday reporters, were refused information. A resident told Newsday he was not surprised about the incident because the arrested man dealt with drugs, walked about with his gun "gallerying" and refused to work.

Investigations revealed that police seized a .380 pistol and three live rounds of ammunition. Up to presstime, a 21-year-old man of L’Anse Mitan, Carenage, was assisting police in the investigation.

Just over a year ago, Sherwin Monsegue, 17, was shot dead ten yards from the area where Tuesday night’s shooting occurred. An inquiry was launched and is still ongoing.