CAMILLE CLARKE
and RACHAEL ESPINET
The man whom police claim was the leader of one of the gangs in Enterprise was detained on Saturday but was released the day after without charge.
The suspect was picked up on Saturday by police officers. He was among several men who had pictures of themselves holding what appeared to be firearms circulating around social media for the past few weeks.
However, police said the suspect was not in possession of any guns and was not engaged in any illegal activities when he was arrested.
In total, Central police arrested more than ten people, including known gang members wanted in connection with the recent violence in central Trinidad over the weekend. Two more people were detained yesterday.
In the last few weeks, central Trinidad has been in the limelight with residents claiming their community is under siege.
Videos were posted over the Internet of men claiming that 15 people were shot in the community and even fingering a police officer as being behind the mayhem.
This has brought the Police Complaints Authority to issue an invitation to one of the men in the videos to come forward with information.
On Saturday, more than eight men, believed to be gang members, were held by the Central Tactical Unit and Chaguanas Task Force.
Police said the exercise started at 4 am on Saturday morning and finished at 2 pm yesterday evening.
Two men were held for possession of firearms and ammunition, one for possession of ammunition, one man was held for ten outstanding warrants and four for shooting offences and another for wounding with intent. One pistol was seized.
Three out of the ten people arrested will appear before a Tunapuna Magistrate Court today, police said.
One of them, investigators said, was a relative of Selwyn “Robocop” Alexis. That suspect, police said, was charged with ten firearm-related offences. These offences include possession of firearms and shootings.
The other seven were detained for suspicion of gang-related activities. They were interviewed by the police and released.
Police said they went to Walter Trace, Bhagaloo Trace, Crown Trace and Chris Trace in Enterprise during their raids.
The exercise was led by Snr Supt Johnny Abraham and co-ordinated by Insp Terrence Williams and acting sergeant Jitendra Tooleram.
Police said the suspects were being processed up to late yesterday evening.