Police zero in on ‘drug dens’ across the country

An aggressive anti-crime initiative aimed at raiding drug dens and ridding the country of illicit drugs will be launched shortly. The areas targetted are Laventille, Enterprise, Marabella, Biche, Arima, Maloney, Pleasantville, Mon Repos, Morvant, La Horquetta, Carenage, Claxton Bay, Cedros and all ports of entry and exit.

Sniffer dogs based at the Police Canine Unit at Caroni will be heavily utilised during the exercises and officers at the Police Heliport Unit will be required to carry out surveillance on marijuana fields. Special Branch officers will also be asked to carry out intelligence duties. Sunday Newsday learned that a report compiled by officers of the Police Community Unit revealed that many of the crimes being committed by young persons in all divisions are as a result of drug addiction. The report further revealed that those persons involved carry out petty crimes such as larceny, burglaries and larceny of vehicles to support their drug habit. Police Commissioner Hilton Guy, who launched his anti-crime initiative in January, has instructed that raids be carried out all drug dens.

Police officers will also be required to carry out eradication exercises at marijuana fields throughout the country. The three-month anti-crime initiative introduced by Commissioner Guy will come to a close at the end of the month. Starting from the week of January 15th up until yesterday more than 100 drug dens were raided by the police. Recently, officers of the North Eastern Division seized 92 kilos of compressed marijuana with a street value of $563,000 and 12.4 kilos of cocaine with a street value of approximately $5 million. Eradication exercises also yielded fully grown marijuana trees and seedlings with a street value of more than $13 million. On Friday, officers of the Central Division Task Force carried out an eradication exercise in the Brasso Forest and destroyed approximately 10,000 fully grown marijuana trees. During Carnival Monday in the Northern Division, 13 persons were arrested and charged with possession of marijuana after several drug dens were raided.

On Carnival Tuesday in the Southern Division, 11 persons were arrested for possession of drugs. ACP Crime Oswyn Allard said the public and police have formed a partnership to reclaim their communities. He added that any information on illicit drug activities will be welcomed by the police and he heaped praises on those persons who have been tipping off the police in the fight against crime.