Monday, April 7 2014

FIFTEEN stone drunk drivers were among 63 persons arrested in a major weekend anti-crime initiative which saw officers from several police precincts in Southern Trinidad engage in stop and search procedures and raids at known crime dens.

The exercise according to police sources, commenced at 8 am on Friday and ended at 8 am on Saturday. During that time, officers engaged in a coordinated roadblock exercise along various major roads and highways in the Southern part of the country.

At various points, motorists who were seen driving in an erratic manner were stopped and administered the breathalyser tests. In all, 15 motorists were arrested and charged for driving under the influence of alcohol. They are expected to appear in various magistrates’ courts today to answer to the charges.

Another 48 persons were arrested in the exercise for various criminal offences while 77 road traffic tickets were issued by officers during the roadblock exercises. Some of the persons were arrested during raids at known crime and drug dens.

The exercise was coordinated by Snr Supt Cecil Santana and ASP Zamsheed Mohammed. Some of the 63 detained persons have since been charged and are expected to appear in various magistrates’ courts today while others remain detained assisting officers in several enquiries.

In a similar exercise also over the weekend in Port-of-Spain, officers arrested a man and seized a Smith and Wesson pistol loaded with 18 rounds of ammunition. The man has been charged and is expected to appear before a Port-of-Spain Magistrate today.

In an unrelated crime incident, a 24-year-old man of Cocoyea Village in San Fernando, was taken into police custody following an armed robbery at a Princes Town businessplace over the weekend.

Two other men involved in the robbery escaped but police sources yesterday said they are working on certain leads — given to them by the detained man — which they believe will lead to the arrest of the two suspects who are at large.

Officers also impounded the getaway car used in the robbery and which bore a false number plate. Police believe this car is stolen and yesterday were making efforts to locate the legitimate owner.

According to a police report, at about 8.10 am on Saturday, three men one of whom was armed with a gun, entered a mini-mart at St Croix Road in Princes Town, where they announced a hold-up and proceeded to rob the female proprietor of $800 before escaping in a Nissan Tiida car.

An alarm was raised and a party of police officers of the Southern Division Task Force and Highway Patrol led by ASP Zamsheed Mohammed and including Sgt Don Gajadhar, later intercepted the vehicle at the intersection of Cipero Road and Golconda in San Fernando. The driver was arrested while his two accomplices managed to escape.