16 Venezuelans, including infants, detained in Santa Flora after illegal entry in Trinidad via boat

Trinidad and Tobago: 16 Venezuelan citizens including 6 minors have been detained by the Police during an anti-crime exercise in Santa Flora, Trinidad. The Venezuelan citizens are suspected of entering Trinidad and Tobago illegally without passports or any travel documents via the water route. 

The intelligence operation took place on Tuesday between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. in the Beach Camp area along Beach Road, Palo Seco. When the police officers observed several people including women running from a boat to the shoreline and others fleeing into the bushes to hide. 

Without being able to identify if the boat was Trinidad’s or not the police pursued them and captured them. Among those captured were Three adult males aged 24, 26, and 27. Seven adult females aged 19, 19, 21, 23, 23, 32, and 45. Six minors 1 of five months, another of 7 months, 2 of two years old, 1 of four years, and another of six years. 

They were all captured and taken to the Santa Flora and Erin Police Stations for further questioning and safe keeping, where they were asked to provide their travel documents and none could come up with any. 

The Police Station proceeded to contact the Immigration Division and the Children’s Authority to inform them of the situation. The two divisions responded and stated that they will conduct an investigation. 

The exercise to capture the 16-Spanish speaking citizens of Venezuela was led by officers of the South-Western Division and included active support from the Anti-Gang Unit, South Western Division Task Force, K9 Unit, and officers  from the Point Fortin, Erin, and Santa Flora stations. The coordinators of the exercise were the Senior Superintendent Thompson, ASP Forbes, ASP Corrie, ASP Sylvan, Inspectors Sirju and Paul, and Inspector Paul. The operation was supervised by Sergeant Smith 

Citizens have expressed their support for the Police Service on Facebook with one user writing, “This is what we need from our security services. Please continue to be vigilant and stop these people from coming into this country illegally.”