Trinidad: 113 arrests reported in crime eradication operations

Trinidad and Tobago: The crime eradication operations across the nation resulted in the mass arrest of a hundred and thirteen individuals. The coordinated operations were conducted in the different localities on Thursday, 18 July, which was later reported with details. The successful anti-crime exercises resulted in the seizure of illegal items, including firearms and ammunition, along with the arrest of offenders.

To stop the crime and take control of the hiking criminal activities in the nation, the police department of Trinidad and Tobago launched dedicated operations. The joint operations were primarily targeted in the areas of Lady Young Road, the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway, Eastern Main Road, Debe Highway, and other routes where road check exercises were conducted on the day.

The crime eradication exercises were conducted under the responsibility of Junior Benjamin, the Deputy Commissioner of Police. Junior Benjamin was coordinating the entire operation, and as provided information by the Deputy Commissioner, a total of one hundred and forty-eight exercises were executed by the dedicated team of police officers on the day.

The firm steps are being taken by the police department after observing a hike in violent crimes across the nation. It is officially recorded that the Twin Islands faced nineteen murder cases over the last weekend. A meeting of the National Security Council was also organised recently by the Prime Minister, of which Erla Harewood Christopher, the Commissioner of Police, was also part along with the head of the various divisions.

The meeting was focused on various issues, including the hike in crime in Trinidad and Tobago. Some important decisions were taken in the meeting, which were not completely disclosed but were hinted at by the Commissioner of Police afterwards. As a result of the meeting, the police presence in certain areas of Tobago was immediately increased to control violent crimes.

Erla Harewood Christopher disclosed in her statement that the authorities are going to improve the police facilities on the Tobago island to fight crime. These heavy exercises across the island of Trinidad are also part of the same strategy, which is dedicated to fighting crime. It is said that during the anti-crime exercises on the day, a soldier was also caught by the police officers who had not been in contact for five long years. The serviceman was absent from his duties without any leave of formal information.

As per the statement given by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, the police officers issued four hundred and sixty-four fixed penalties in total on the day. It is also mentioned that the teams of policemen recovered seven illegal firearms, including two AR-15 rifles, during crime eradication exercises in Trinidad. In total, three hundred and eighty-seven counts of ammunition were collected by the officers, among which most were of 5.56 mm calibre.

The illegal possessions were seized and taken to the police headquarters along with the offenders, who were arrested immediately for the offence of carrying unauthorised firearms and ammunition. It is also quoted that a sum of thirteen hundred and fifty-eight stop and search forms were filled out during the operations. The police department is looking to reduce crime in Trinidad and Tobago by at least ten percent this year.