25 suspected illegal immigrants detained off western Trinidad

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Police in Trinidad and Tobago have detained 25 people suspected of being in the country illegally after stopping a vessel along the western peninsula during a late-night operation. The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) said the Coastal and Air Support Unit, assisted by officers from the Western Division, conducted the operation at about 11:30 pm on Tuesday. The exercise, known as Operation BLAST (Bringing Land, Air and Sea Together), involved drone technology to search coastal and forested areas. Police said officers subsequently stopped and searched a vessel, where they found the 25 people suspected of being illegal immigrants. Officers detained the individuals and seized the vessel. Investigations are continuing with support from the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and the Immigration Division.