Venezuelan man kidnapped in Chaguanas, Trinidad; US$10,000 ransom demand issued

Trinidad & Tobago: A 30-year-old Venezuelan man was kidnapped late at night in Carapichaima after being lured to a business deal on June 12th.

The victim identified as Albert George Navarro Arcia was living in Chaguanas for a long time now. According to reports, Arcia was visiting potential buyers of his business in the village of Waterloo when was snatched.

He arrived at the location with an 18-year-old companion in a Nissan B13 motor vehicle shortly before 11 p.m. Upon reaching the area, the pair was allegedly confronted by an unknown number of armed suspects. Investigators were told that the assailants forcibly took Arcia and placed him into a waiting vehicle before speeding away.

His teen companion managed to escape away to the nearest Chaguanas Police Station, where he reported the incident.

A few hours after the incident took place, the victim’s sister was pinged with a WhatsApp message from an unknown number demanding a ransom of USD $10,000 in exchange for his safe release.

While investigations are underway at The Freeport Police Station and the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, the police have reported that the location of the incident was untraced.

Inter-personal allegations are also underway by the larger public due to a similar hoax incident that happened a month ago on May 9 when a 30-year-old Daoud Mohammed faked his own kidnapping demanding a ransom of $60,000, along with drugs and firearms from his brother in the USA. The investigations that followed revealed that he was instead hiding at a friend’s home in Philippine, Palmiste. The suspect was arrested on Thursday, June 4, 2026 on the charges for Wasteful Employment of the Police.

With respect to this incident, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) reminded the public that making false reports is a “serious offence”. And that these hoaxes waste valuable resources, require significant manpower, and divert officers away from genuine emergencies where lives may be at risk.

However, in a serious separate incident less than a week ago, a UK national was abducted while walking along Ariapita Avenue near Hamilton Holder Street in Port-of-Spain. He reported that his life was threatened and the assailants stole three bank cards and US$200 before releasing him at a bus shed off the Audrey Jeffers Highway.

This has sparked a major debate on the internet because of mixed reactions pouring in. Some are blaming the authorities for deteriorating conditions amidst SOE while others are doubting the victim.