Sunday, March 14 2010

A boat with an estimated $3,564,000 in drugs was intercepted crossing the Venezuela border into Trinidad, via Chacachacare on Friday night.

According to a media release from Public Relations Officer Lieutenant Kirk Jean-Baptiste, Coast Guard Staubles Bay received information about a Target of Interest (TOI) crossing into the country at approximately 7.29 pm.

Coast Guard Interceptor 017 intercepted the fishing vessel TFS 2612 Levi Chariot with five men onboard, at approximately 8.53 pm, four nautical miles south-west of Gasper Grande.

Inside the vessel was a quantity of individually wrapped blue packages which contained a plant-like substance and, also five separately wrapped white packages containing a white powder-like substance on board. The Levi Chariot was escorted to Staubles Bay and a detailed search carried out on the vessel.

One hundred and forty five (packages of marijuana were found, along with five packages) of cocaine, and three iguanas.

Total weight of the marijuana was 148.4 kg and has an estimated street value of $1,484,000. while, the cocaine weighed 5.2 kg and has been put at $2,080,000.

Of the five occupants onboard, two men were from Erin, one from Kelly Village Central, and two from Colombia.

The illegal drugs and the suspects were handed over to officers from the Organised Crime, Narcotics and Firearms Bureau, Customs and Excise, Marine Interdiction Unit as well as Immigration. The five suspects are to appear before a Port-of-Spain magistrate tomorrow morning.