Eight persons are charged for Processing Minerals without a Licence.
They were granted bail of $75,000 each with a surety by Justice of the Peace Abrahim Ali.
They will appear before the Arima Magistrates’ Court on June 5, 2024.
Investigations showed the site was never licenced by the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries to process minerals.
The illegal quarrying activity was also linked to a processing plant at Moonan Road, Wallerfield.
Intelligence also revealed the plant received illegally mined aggregate, processed same, and sold it to multiple contracted parties.
The development comes following the shutdown of a multi-million-dollar processing operation.
The exercise was a joint intelligence-led exercise conducted by the Multi-Agency Task Force assisted by the Financial Investigations Branch, the North Central Division Task Force and Crime Scene Investigators, last Thursday.
On May 2nd based on information, officers unearthed a large-scale and highly modernized minerals processing plant.
They observed persons at the plant’s location on Moonan Road, Wallerfield operating a wash plant machine and heavy equipment.
They were also engaged in other general site work.
A search warrant was executed at the site where several documents were seized.
Enquiries revealed they did not have a licence to operate.
Eight men, including a manager and acting supervisor, were arrested.
They are ROBERT WILSON, of Todds Road, REUBEN MAPRANGALA, of Champ Fleur, RICKY JOSEPH, of New Grant, COREY CHARLES, of Diego Martin, DEON GEORGE, of Laventille, SHASTRI MAHADEO, of Chaguanas, KIMAL WILLIAMS, of Sea Lots, and ALUKO ATO WARNER of Woodbrook.