State of emergency update - Friday 26 August: 190 gang members arrested so far

Police commissioner Dwayne Gibbs said on Friday police detained 147 more persons between 8 am on Thursday and the same time Friday morning. Seventy five of them are gang members, he said.

Gibbs gave the figure at the daily media briefing. He said so far 462 people have been detained since the emergency was declared Sunday night, including 190 gang members.

The latest arrests in the past 24 hours breaks down as follows:

• Gang related: 75 arrests
• Homicides: 8 arrests
• Drug related: 21 arrests
• Breach of curfew: 4 arrests
• Firearm offences: 1 arrest
• Serious offences: 19 arrests
• Outstanding warrants: 4 arrests

The commissioner also told reporters that three notorious gang leaders were arrested in operations over the past 24 hours. He said police arrested one of them, who is a known drug dealer, in Tobago. He did not give details of the other two.

National Security Minister Brigadier John Sandy warned criminals about moving to areas not considered "hot spots", noting that police are active everywhere. He cited the arrest of a gang leader in Tobago as an example of the police vigilance. 

Sandy said the police and army will find criminals no matter where they hide.

Other highlights from Friday's briefing:

• Persons who are copying curfew permits are at risk of being arrested
• Media should be aware of ‘tricksters’ who are claiming to be brutalized by the protective services
• The State will put together a high powered legal team to defend itself against those detained
• A police officer was accidentally shot by a colleague in San Fernando; the injured officer is resting comfortably at hospital and his life is not under threat
• 172 police constable to be promoted on Friday afternoon to Corporals