Petty suspects rounded up in wake of public pressure

(CNS): Police based in the eastern districts have been targeting illegal activities, from gambling to drug use, which residents said during a recent community meeting were leading to fights and other public disturbances. Over the weekend three men were rounded up for drug possession, having a machete and illegally landing. “We will continue operations like these to target low-level criminal activity that can be a nuisance for law-abiding residents and also lead to more dangerous behaviour,” said Winsome Prendergast, Area Commander for the Eastern Districts.

“Drug and gambling activities are just the first of the many priority areas we will be concentrating on in order to address concerns raised by our communities in Bodden Town, East End and North Side,” she added.

The first arrests during the weekend crack-down were on Friday, when police, customs and immigration officers raided a home in Manse Road. During the search the authorities found drug utensils and arrested the 35-year-old man at the home for drug related offenses. He is now on police bail.

Then at around 6:30pm that same day officers out on foot patrol around Bodden Town Public Beach searched a 47-year-old-man from George Town as well as his nearby car. The officers said that they found a machete and he was arrested for possession of an offensive weapon, but there was no indication as to what caused the police to conclude the tool should at that time be considered a weapon. He is still on police bail while the matter progresses.

On Sunday, 1 October, just after 5:00am police carried out another search at a home on Northward Road, which resulted in a 33-year-old-man being arrested on immigration-related offenses. He was deported to Jamaica on Monday.