...another body found in the sea

EVEN as officers of the Eastern Division were trying to determine who the large consignment of cocaine was intended for in this country, another body surfaced on the Manzanilla/Mayaro beach, bringing to two the number of bodies to surface in the area in as many days.

The latest body, that of a male and said to be in an advanced state of decomposition, was spotted after 5 pm yesterday near Cacandoo Trace, leading to the Manzanilla/Mayaro beach, police sources told Newsday.  It is in close proximity to where the first body was found. Late yesterday, also, senior officers of the Organised Crime and Narcotic Unit (OCNU) said they received information that there were more bodies in the area. As a result of the latest body find, OCNU sources said they are now convinced that something went terribly wrong in the seas, and are of the firm view that it is drug-related.  They said it’s a vicious circle and that once the game is not played right, “one is certain to get lick-up.”

The large consignment of cocaine which is said to be worth millions of dollars washed ashore between Sunday morning and Monday evening in crocus bags along the Manzanilla/Mayaro beach. There were also packets of the illicit drugs that surfaced from what is believed to be broken crocus bags.  Yesterday, 32 empty packets were found on the Mayaro beach. There were no local addresses on the bags, but police sources told Newsday that some of the packets themselves had Spanish markings on them, indicating that it came from a South American country. The mystery deepened for Eastern Division police when on Monday morning a body was seen floating in the Ortoire/Mayaro River by three fishermen. Because of the man’s pigmentation, police initially believed he was either a Venezuelan or a Colombian.  However, after further checks were done yesterday at the Forensic Science Centre, it was discovered that the man is of African descent.  Police said the salt water had apparently changed his pigmentation to that “of a white man.”

The body remained unidentified up to late yesterday.  But police said he is 177 centimetres tall, is between 45-50 years and weighs 45.5 kilogrammes. The red underwear he wore was a ‘Diesel’ brand, while the grey jersey was made by ‘Sergio.’  Both brand names are said to be locally made. He has a tatoo on the right bicep, and only the fourth finger on his right hand is intact, the others having been eaten away by fishes. Police also said the front centre tooth in his upper jaw is false, and that there is a drawing of something resembling Jesus on one of his pendants. Sgt Rampersad of the Mayaro Police Station is continuing investigations. In another cocaine seizure, officers of the Northern Divisional Task Force were up to late evening trying to trace a quantity of cocaine that was seized in the Wallerfield, Arima, area, early yesterday. The cocaine weighed over four kilogrammes, and is believed to be a chunk of the cocaine consignment seized in the Manzanilla/Mayaro beach. It was discovered around 1 am yesterday when officers including Cpls Jagdeo and Peters, and PC Petty were on patrol.  Police said the officers observed a man carrying a crocus bag on his shoulder.  Up until late last night Toco Police officers were at Balandra bay after receiving reports that several barrels were washed ashore. It was not known what the barrels contained.