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Police Officer and 10 Gang Suspects Detained Under Emergency Powers

Police Officer Among 11 Detained Under Emergency Powers as T&T Targets Gang Leaders
PORT OF SPAIN — A serving police officer is among 11 individuals placed under preventive detention as the Ministry of Homeland Security moves to disrupt high-level coordination between organized crime groups and state actors.
The detentions, ordered by Minister Roger Alexander on March 16 and 17 under the Emergency Powers Regulations, 2026, come amid intelligence reports of imminent, high-powered firearm attacks planned between rival gangs in public spaces.
Betrayal from Within: The Case of Pramanan Rajpath
The most striking of the detention orders involves officer Pramanan Rajpath, who is accused of supplying operational intelligence to organized crime groups. Authorities allege that Rajpath’s leaks compromised sensitive information, directly facilitating criminal activities and increasing the risk of deadly retaliatory violence.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Suzette Martin, serving as Gold Commander for the State of Emergency (SoE), addressed the breach yesterday, calling the allegations “especially serious.”
> “Any suggestion that an officer used their position to compromise sensitive information strikes at the core of the TTPS mandate,” Martin stated. She emphasized that while the incident is concerning, the detection of the breach proves that internal integrity systems are functioning.
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Ishmael Pitt, President of the Police Service Social and Welfare Association, noted the complexity of the situation, describing it as a “balancing act” between protecting the institution’s integrity and ensuring the officer’s right to due process.
Dismantling Gang Infrastructure
The latest round of Preventive Detention Orders (PDOs) targets the logistical backbone of Trinidad and Tobago’s most violent networks, ranging from smuggling rings to car theft syndicates.
Key Detainees and Allegations:
* External Facilitators: Aaron Bon and Michael Herbert were detained for allegedly smuggling firearms, narcotics, and mobile phones into correctional facilities, allowing incarcerated gang leaders to continue directing hits from behind bars.
* The “Car Theft” Network: Taheir “Trey” Khan is identified as the leader of a car theft ring in Enterprise and Cunupia. Police claim stolen vehicles from his network were used in multiple deadly shootings.
* Logistics & Execution: Barry “Honda Boss” Bickram allegedly operated a facility for concealing and modifying stolen vehicles, while Darion “Smalls” Bhaggan is identified as a shooter and coordinator for the “Resistance Gang” in Tunapuna.
* Retaliatory Strike Teams: Members of the Rasta City/Seven Gang—including Tariq Adams, Jahyel Biggot, and Denver Boyea—were detained following intelligence that they were planning imminent “reprisal shootings.”
First Minor Detained
The SoE has also seen its first detention of a minor. 16-year-old Jaylon George is currently being held at the Youth Training and Rehabilitation Centre (YTRC) in Arouca. Police allege George serves as a gang shooter with access to high-powered weaponry. His parents have since come forward to publicly maintain his innocence.
Current Status
The majority of the detainees are being held at the Eastern Correctional Rehabilitation Centre in Santa Rosa under conditions set by the Minister. DCP Martin confirmed that police operations have not been disrupted by these developments and that measures are in place to contain any potential reprisal attacks following these high-profile detentions.
Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander has not yet issued a formal comment on the specific evidence leading to the officer’s detention.