20 held in joint police/army raid

Over 200 police and soldiers cordoned off several parts of Carenage from as early as 3 am. Officers searched homes, drug dens and abandoned houses for arms ammunition and illicit drugs.

During the searches two kilogrammes of marijuana were seized in a house and six people were detained. The exercise was also aimed at forcing out people suspected to be involved in several shootings and serious crimes.

The exercise was ordered due to an upsurge of shootings in the Carenage district over the past few weeks.

Only on Saturday, three people suffered gunshot injuries at Haig Street, Carenage, and were up to yesterday nursing gunshot injuries at hospital.

The anti-crime initiative also resulted in several vehicles in Carenage being searched while K-9 dogs, along with their handlers also searched for drugs.

While this was taking place, officers in a Viper 1 helicopter hovered above to provide air support to the officers on the ground. Carenage residents thanked the police and soldiers for the searches yesterday claiming that the area had been under siege by gunmen.

The exercise was co-ordinated by ACP Irwin Hackshaw, led by Senior Superintendent Boxhill and ASP Ajith Persad, and included ASPs Samaroo, and Dominc, Insp Prescott and Cpt Gibbs of the TT Defence Force.