Police have arrested more than 15 people in raids conducted in Carenage and the Port-of-Spain division following a recent spate of murders stretching from Port-of Spain to Westmoorings.
Hours after the murder of Ashar Kirby of Seaview, Carenage outside the KFC outlet in Westmoorings, an entourage of police officers acting on intelligence swooped down in the Carenage area.
Three people were arrested during the police exercise that commenced at about 4.30 am on Friday. Two people were from Upper L’anse Mitan and one other from an adjacent street.
It could not be confirmed if any of the people detained were in connection for Thursday night’s shooting at the KFC fast food outlet.
Police, however, believe that the shooting was gang related.
Residents at L’anse Mitan said they were confused when they woke up and saw several police vehicles and police officers moving into homes and conducting searches.
“We don’t know whom they came looking for but they were very busy and only up and down the road,” one resident who wished not to be identified told Guardian Media.
She said she has been living in the area for over 60 years and blamed the gangs and gang-related activities to “outsiders” whom she said have infiltrated the “peaceful and hilly fishing village.”
“Here is a real nice place but it have a lot of young people that grow up here and they are befriending people from other areas and bringing them here and harbouring them and them are the ones who are the bad influencers and causing the trouble,” the resident added.
Other residents sat on a step close to a mini-mart but for fear they refused to say much about the increase of crime in the area. Officers from several units including the Inter-Agency Task Force eventually left about 8.30 am.
In recent times, residents would hear sporadic gunshots almost on a daily basis.
Over the past four months, police and soldiers have carried out numerous exercises arresting many for various offences including arms and ammunition possession, drugs and shooting incidents.
Officers of the Inter-Agency Task Force Strike Team and the Besson Street Criminal Investigations Department were almost at the same time conducting an anti-crime exercise in the Port-of -Spain district. Thirteen men were arrested for shooting-related offences.
In a release the TTPS said at the George Street Plannings, several apartments were searched and eight men, ages 20 to 30 years, were arrested in connection with shooting offences.
In the Eastern Quarry, Laventille district, three men, aged 20 to 30 years, were also held in connection with shooting offences.
Two others from Laventille were also detained after their respective homes were searched.
Over the past week, there have been several shootings throughout Laventille and Port-of-Spain area between Nelson and Duncan Streets.