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Allister Guevarro - COMMISSIONER of Police (CoP) Allister Guevarro says Venezuelan criminal elements are playing a growing role in TT’s crime landscape, particularly in the areas of narcotics, firearms and human trafficking.
His comments came less than 24 hours after Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar supported the US government's deployment of military assets to the southern Caribbean region.
Three US naval destroyers and a nuclear submarine with more than 4,000 marines and sailors are due to arrive soon in the southern Caribbean waters as part of an exercise to target drug cartels.
Speaking with Newsday on August 24, Guevarro said while Venezuelan gangs had not established command structures locally, they had become increasingly opportunistic collaborators with local gangs.
“Certain Venezuelan-based criminal networks have sought to exploit geographic proximity and economic vulnerabilities to facilitate their illicit trade,” he said.
Noting the difference between influence and operational control Guevarro added, “Intelligence and enforcement data would suggest that some Venezuelan actors are collaborating with local gangs primarily as facilitators in cross-border trafficking.
“As such they do not maintain a widespread territorial presence here, or even what we may term as command structures within TT. Their role is more opportunistic rather than being entrenched here.”
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) Junior Benjamin similarly said intelligence assessments have confirmed Venezuelan influence within the crime situation, particularly in the gang landscape.
“The intelligence certainly would show that with the influx of Venezuelan personnel in TT, that, yes, the crime situation is also open to persons from Venezuela also being part and parcel of the challenges that we face.”
He said the police are taking a strategic approach to tackling those challenges by paying increasing attention to priority offenders, including gang members linked to trans-national crime, through the TT Police Service’s Summer Slam operation.
“We have presently our Summer Slam operation going on right now where these operations are geared towards priority offenders and gang related personnel.
“We are looking at the gang culture, we're looking at all the different areas to see if we could combat those situations.
“And we are looking at both local as well as foreign persons, including Venezuelans, who we believe might be threatening the public safety and security and public order of TT at this time under the state of emergency (SoE).”
More police operations coming in south-west TT
Given its proximity to Venezuela, Benjamin said the police have been paying attention to criminal activities taking place in the south-west peninsula.
He added the public can expect more police operations in that part of the country.
“Just last week we had an operation in the South-Western division. And we are going back there again.”
“So we are hitting all the different areas, wherever these persons would be. And every single division will be targeted as we have done for the summer.
Asked about the crime in that part of TT and links to Venezuela, he noted there has been some migration of criminal operations to communities in that area.
He said focus on those communities will continue long after the Summer Slam operation ends.
“Even after the summer we are coming full force, especially in those areas targeting those persons. Because what we recognise is that there's a movement from the Port of Spain area down into the South-Western division and these places.
“So we are focusing our attention in all the different areas because it's very important as we go where the crime is taking place and target those persons because that's the only way we can solve the crime situation by targeting them.”
Benjamin promised an inter-agency approach to dealing with the issue.
“We are hoping to see how we can assist in working with all other brother and sister agencies to see how we could secure the borders in these areas as well.”
CoP: Foreigners mistaking hospitality for impunity
Asked whether arrest figures showed an increase or decrease in Venezuelan involvement in crime, Guevarro pointed out that the number of Venezuelans arrested is affected by migration patterns.
He noted, though, that Venezuelan nationals have been linked to several serious crimes in recent weeks.
“In observing trends within the past week or so, we have noticed that Venezuelan nationals have been arrested or in some cases identified as suspects in several serious crimes, including homicide, robberies, wounding, burglaries and even rape. Some have already been charged and appeared in court.”
The Commissioner warned that criminals, regardless of their nationality, will not be allowed to operate with impunity.
“It appears that some visitors have mistaken our hospitality for impunity. But rest assured, our welcome mat does not extend to criminal conduct.”
Despite his stern words, he sought to assure the public the police will follow the law as they pursue criminals.
“Our commitment is to treat all suspects, local or foreign, with due process and in accordance with the law.”
English (US) ·