More than 1,500 people have been arrested in Trinidad and Tobago since the start of the State of Emergency, as police ramp up operations across the country.

In a statement on April 16, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Operations Suzette Martin said 1,588 people have been arrested over the 45 days since the
measure was implemented, following 3,694 operations.

Of those held, 355 have been charged.

The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) also reported that 258 detention orders have been approved, with 170 already executed — figures that
have surpassed those recorded at the end of the previous State of Emergency, when 205 detention orders were approved and 153 executed.

During the period, officers recovered 90 firearms and seized 2,196 rounds of ammunition.

Authorities also confiscated 3,146 kilogrammes of cocaine and 337.040 kilogrammes of marijuana.

Martin said the results were driven by “deliberate, intelligence-led policing, coordinated national operations, and a sustained focus on priority
offenders and organised criminal networks.”

“For the public, the message to the is clear: the TTPS is strategically targeting individuals and groups who pose the greatest threat to the safety and stability of our communities, and we are doing so with precision and purpose,” she statement said.

The police service said the State of Emergency has now entered a critical phase, where consistency, effective execution and accountability will determine
its overall impact.

It reiterated its commitment to disrupting criminal enterprises, removing high-risk offenders from communities, and restoring and maintaining public
safety and order.

“Operations will continue with intensity, discipline, and zero tolerance for criminal activity,” Martin said. “We will not relent. We will not ease the pressure. We will continue to deliver results in the interest of national security.”