PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago — Police have detained 25 people suspected of being in the country illegally after intercepting a vessel off Trinidad’s western peninsula during a late-night operation.
The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) said the operation took place at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 20, involving officers from the Coastal and Air Support Unit and the Western Division.
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The exercise, conducted under Operation BLAST (Bringing Land, Air and Sea Together), used drone technology to search coastal and forested areas before officers stopped and searched the vessel.
The 25 individuals found aboard were detained, and the vessel was seized by police.
The operation was conducted under the direction of the Assistant Commissioner of Police responsible for Tactical Support and sanctioned by Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations Suzette Martin. It was coordinated by Assistant Commissioner Collis Hazel and supervised by Assistant Superintendent Ronny Rampallard and Inspector Fabian Brisbane.
Investigations are continuing with assistance from the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and the Immigration Division as authorities work to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine the individuals’ immigration status.
Police have not publicly confirmed the nationalities of those detained or disclosed further details about the vessel’s origin.
