Attempted break-in at Immigration Detention Centre

The area on the eastern side of the compound was dark and overgrown with bushes. while the officer was walking, he heard strange noises coming from the bushes on the outer perimeter of the fence. “He alerted another officer who was about 60 feet away,” a source said. “He returned to where he was to monitor the situation when he saw two men tampering with the fence. The men also noticed the officer and one of them pointed an object in his direction and a loud explosion was heard.”

The source said the officer returned fire and the situation escalated into a shootout. The Detention Centre officer was not hurt and it was unknown whether any of the two perpetrators were injured during the shootout. A search was conducted by officers of the Immigration Detention Centre and Northern Division Task Force in area where the men were seen. The officers retrieved a hacksaw blade and a wire cutter with which they were attempting to cut the wire fence.

The source added, “The officers believe that there was a conspiracy between one or more detainees and criminal elements on the outside. There are 130 male detainees and 33 females at the centre. we also have firearms on the compound, so they could have taken those by force and released the detainees.

In a statement to the media yesterday evening, the National Security Ministry announced that it has launched an investigation into the incident. Additional security arrangements were immediately implemented at the centre. The matter is being investigated by the Trinidad and Tobago Police service.