15 Venezuelans held in Princes Town immigration raid

The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) has detained 15 Venezuelan nationals who allegedly entered the country illegally during an early-morning operation in the Southern Division today.

The joint exercise, which took place between 4 am and 8 am in the Cedar Hill Village, Princes Town district, involved officers from the Immigration Investigations Unit, South, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, the Guard and Emergency Branch (GEB), the Inter-Agency Task Force, the Canine Branch and CASU.

According to police reports, eleven males and four females were held at two separate locations. Investigations are continuing.

The latest arrests follow a similar intelligence-led operation conducted on July 10 and 11, when 11 Venezuelan nationals — seven men and four women — were also found to have entered the country illegally. That exercise was carried out with the support of the GEB, the Transport Section and the Immigration Division.

Police said three of the individuals held in July were also in breach of Deportation Orders. Ten of the 11 appeared before Magistrate Armina Deonarinesingh this week and were each granted $10,000 bail with a surety, while the 11th was sentenced to 30 days’ simple imprisonment.
The exercises were coordinated by Snr Supt Maharaj, Supt Pariman, ASP Bisnath, Insp Phillip and Sgt Katerson, working in collaboration with the Chief Immigration Officer.