by Linda Straker
- Trinidad national connected with shooting incident in south of island in August 2023
- Venezuelan national arrested and charged as part of Police Christmas operations
- Over EC$600,000 in illegal drugs seized as part of Christmas operations
Police announced that a Trinidad national who was detained when a raid was conducted in a house in the western parish of St John, has been identified as a person of interest in a shooting incident that occurred in the south of the island in August 2023.
“On Friday the 24th, a house was raided in the St John area. Two nationals both from Trinidad and Tobago were taken into custody, one of which is a person of interest in the Mt Egmont killing,” Police Commissioner Don McKenzie said in a news conference on Monday.
Days following the shooting on 14 August which resulted in the death of one man and serious injuries to another in the affluent community, 22-year-old Grenadian Yohance Charles was arrested and charged with abetment of capital murder, abetment to attempt to commit capital murder, possession of a controlled drug, and possession of ammunition.
Police had confirmed in a news conference after the arrest of Charles that the matter continues to be under active investigation. Police did not explain why the raid was conducted on the house but admitted that the raid was part of its Christmas 2023 operations which began on 1 November.
Since that date, Police have intercepted 2 fishing boats and charged several people for trafficking illegal drugs. Besides the Trinidadian linked to the Egmont killing, Police also arrested and charged Venezuelan national Robert Alex Marquez Velasquez as part of its Christmas operations.
“On Sunday, 12 November 2023, officers attached to the Drug Squad Unit and Grenada Coast Guard intercepted a fishing vessel outside of True Blue, St George with 2 occupants on board. A search of the vessel resulted in the seizure of 2 kilos of cocaine that carries an estimated street value of EC$200,000,” said a news release from the Police.
Robert Alex Marquez Velasquez, 36 years old, Mechanic of Margarita, Venezuela, was jointly charged with Sham Crawford, 28 years old, Fisherman of Woodlands, St George for the offence of trafficking 2 kilos of cocaine.
Another success of the Christmas operation was the confiscating of illegal firearms on 25 November. “A house search was conducted in the north of the island, during that search 5 illegal firearms and over 200 rounds of ammunition were seized, and one male is in custody regarding same.” The Commissioner also disclosed that on Sunday, 26 a boat was intercepted along the western coast with 212 pounds of marijuana.
Over EC$600,000 in illegal drugs has been seized as part of the Christmas operations.
