Coast Guard Intercepts Pirogue Carrying 252 Packets of Suspected Marijuana
The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard has intercepted a pirogue carrying 252 packets of a suspected marijuana during a maritime operation off the south coast of Trinidad.
According to a Coast Guard media release, the interception took place at approximately 7:27 p.m. on Sunday, July 26, while officers were conducting search operations for an overturned vessel in waters off Trinidad’s south coast.
During the operation, a Coast Guard patrol boat observed a pirogue travelling from Venezuela towards Trinidad. Officers intercepted and searched the vessel, where they discovered 252 packets containing a green, plant-like substance suspected to be marijuana.
The Coast Guard secured the vessel before handing it over, along with its two occupants and the suspected narcotics, to officers of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service for further investigations.
No information was released regarding the identities of the occupants or the estimated street value of the suspected drugs. Investigations are ongoing to determine the origin of the shipment and any possible links to wider drug trafficking operations.
In its statement, the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the nation’s maritime borders and working closely with partner agencies to combat transnational crime and protect the country’s maritime domain.
The seizure comes as law enforcement agencies continue to intensify efforts to disrupt the illegal movement of narcotics and other illicit goods across Trinidad and Tobago’s maritime borders.
