Police arrested three drug runners in Cocorite yesterday in what was described by some as a scene straight from an action movie. The drama started after armed Coast Guard officers were seen chasing a fishing boat in the Gulf of Paria with five suspects, illegal guns and drugs. Police onshore were alerted and prepared themselves to assist their colleagues.
According to police reports, around 1.45 pm members of the Coast Guard received a tip that a pirogue was smuggling drugs and guns into the country. The Coast Guard, after liaising with their police counterparts, chased the vessel, which had four men on board, to shore near the dock of party boat, Harbour Master. Police said three men jumped off and headed for land. The fourth suspect attempted to escape on the open sea but was stopped a short distance away at the Cocorite fishing depot.
Coast Guard officials said as the boat was coming ashore the men threw a bag overboard which they believed was filled with guns. When police searched the boat they found a quantity of marijuana. The bag thrown overboard had not been found up to last night.
With assistance from the National Operations Centre (NOC) helicopter, one of the three men arrested initially pretended to be an employee of Reel Tackle, which is located along the Western Main Road. The other two suspects were held after running through the compound of Econo Car Rentals. Eyewitnesses told the T&T Guardian that after the trio came ashore police were seen chasing them and firing in the air in attempt to get them to surrender.
The police eventually caught one of the men and later arrested the other, even as he attempted to “blend in” with members of the public. Up to press time the fourth man was still on the run.