TRINIDAD: For the first six months of this year, there has been a 163 per cent increase in the amount of marijuana seized by police, as well as a 131 per cent increase in cocaine seized, as compared to the same period last year.
This was revealed yesterday by public information officer ASP Michael Pierre during the police weekly news briefing at the Police Administration Building in Port of Spain.
Cocaine seizures between January and July amounted to 193 kilogrammes, against 83 kilogrammes during the same period in 2014.
With respect to marijuana, for the first six months 1,239 kilogrammes were seized, when compared to the 471 kilogrammes seized for the same period last year.
The street value of the cocaine seized thus far for 2015 has been put at $6.9 million, while marijuana is at $13.6 million.
The Northern Division of the T&T Police Service had the highest rate of cocaine seizures so far in 2015, accounting for 61 kilogrammes of the overall total. They were followed by South Western Division with 47 kilogrammes, and then the Tobago Division, with 26 kilogrammes of cocaine confiscated.
In terms of marijuana, the Western Division had the most seizures with 282 kilogrammes removed from the hands of drug dealers. Thereafter, the South Western Division came in at 268 kilogrammes seized, followed by the Southern Division with 236 kilogrammes seized. This bodes a promising increase for 2015 as the police continue their war against illegal drugs in this country, according to police.
In 2014, a total of 148 kilogrammes of cocaine were seized with a street value of $5.3 million, while a total of 1,185 kilogrammes of marijuana were seized with an estimated street value of value of $13 million.
