Coast Guard officers seize marijuana, three arrested

In a statement yesterday, Coast Guard Public Relations Officer, Lieutenant Sherron Manswell said the incident occurred at about 1.17am yesterday.

“An interceptor vessel of the Coast Guard, while on routine patrol, effected the boarding of a Trinidadian pirogue named “Kelsea” with the registration number, TGF 2977, three nautical miles south of Diamond Rock with three occupants on board,” Manswell said. Reports are that the initial search of the vessel revealed one packet resembling contraband on board. Further searches were conducted at the interception point and a crocus bag wrapped in a red jersey material was discovered floating 20 meters from where the pirogue was stopped.

The pirogue, the items and the occupants who are citizens of this country, were taken to Coast Guard Headquarters, Staubles Bay where additional searches were conducted. It was during this search that the drug was discovered.

After the occupants were detained by the Coast Guard, officers of the Customs and Excise Division and Organised Crime Narcotics and Firearm Bureau were contacted to process the individuals and take them into custody to continue their investigations.