Five men are in police custody after officers recovered narcotics and seized other items during an intelligence-led exercise in Arima.
A firearm was also found during a separate exercise in La Horquetta.
Following ongoing surveillance this week as well as information received, Arima officers conducted an intelligence-led exercise at Swift Drive, Bon Air Gardens yesterday.
While at the location, the party of officers observed a white Nissan Note proceeding in a southerly direction. The vehicle stopped near a sewer plant and a man exited from the front passenger seat and proceeded to open the gate.
Officers immediately exited their vehicle and announced their presence to the man and the four male passengers. Officers searched the men, but nothing was found.
However, while searching the vehicle they allegedly found 14 black plastic bags containing cigarettes, five plastic bags with a total of two pounds of marijuana, 13 reels of nylon thread, a walkie-talkie, a drone containing 23 extra batteries, and a silver digital scale.
The five men were arrested and taken to the Arima Police Station. WPC Thorne is continuing enquiries.
The exercise, which was conducted between the hours of 11 pm yesterday and 2:30 am today was coordinated by ACP Subero, Snr Supt Montrichard, Supt Guelmo, ASPs Trumpet and Pitt, Insp Lewis, and officers of the Arima Intelligence/Operations Unit and the Arima Traffic Section. It was directly supervised by W/Sgt Ramai.
Meanwhile, during a joint roving stop and search exercise conducted between 10 pm yesterday and 1 am today, officers allegedly found a black Taurus nine-millimetre pistol loaded with a magazine and eight rounds of nine-millimetre ammunition.
The firearm was found in a bushy area outside of a bar on Daisy Voisin Crescent, Phase 2, La Horquetta. PC Superville is continuing enquiries.
The exercise, which was conducted in the Arima, Malabar and La Horquetta police districts, was coordinated by ACP Subero, Snr Supt Montrichard, Supt Guelmo, ASPs Pitt, and Trumpet and supervised and conducted by Insp (Ag.) Narace along with members of the Northern Division Task Force North and South, the Arima Criminal Investigations Department, and the Arima OCP.