Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro has confirmed that recent US military strikes have led to a noticeable shortage of illegal drugs across the country.
Speaking at a TTPS Media Briefing on Tuesday, he cited intelligence sources indicating that the strikes targeting narco-terrorist maritime operations have significantly disrupted the flow of illegal narcotics into Trinidad and Tobago.
“The intelligence indicates that there is a current shortage of the illicit drugs, particularly from those trafficked from Venezuela and Colombia. And the disruption has directly affected the availability of the narcotics in Trinidad and Tobago, which, as you know, in business terms, when there is a shortage in supply, you know what goes up. So we’ve detected that there has been a marked increase in the price of illegal narcotics on the streets.”
Commissioner Guevarro acknowledged that criminal elements may attempt to exploit alternative routes in response, but assured that the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service is actively addressing such developments.
“Trinis really ingenious. What do you think the first thing they want to do? They go in and plant weed. And we already treating with that. They have men looking for particular breed of seeds from abroad to bring in. We’re treating with that already. The ACP, TSIU, well, the CIB, Mr. Tewari, is already treating with marijuana eradication in all those different areas.”
The Commissioner noted that millions of dollars’ worth of illegal drugs were seized after the strikes.
“On the 12th of September, the TTPS, in coordination with the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, we seized 268 kilogrammes of Colombian ‘Creepy’ marijuana, valued at over $29 million. On the 30th of September, we executed a targeted operation in Fyzabad and seized 201 kilogrammes of Colombian ‘Creepy’ marijuana.”
The Police Commissioner also stated that the military operations have further curbed the inflow of other illegal items into the country.
“You’re not getting the Venezuelan and Guyanese meat coming in again. So they’re not, yeah, they’re not standing up on the side of the road holding the smuggled wild meat. So now, again, you see the balance. It’s not only working to keep narcotics out.”