By Prior Beharry
POLICE have laid charges on 65 people who were on a party boat earlier this month.
They were charged after officers of the Coastal and Riverine Patrol Unit (CRPU) intercepted the boat at sea in the wee hours of the morning of January 3.
All persons on board were taken to the Carenage Police Station, where they were interviewed and released pending further investigations.
After investigations, all 65 persons were charged with breach of gathering in excess of ten persons Contrary to the Public Health Ordinance Regulations 2021 Section (3).
They were charged via summons.
The captain of the vessel along with a female suspect were also charged for holding a public party contrary to Regulation 4(1) (b) of the Public Health Ordinance Regulation 2021 Section (3).
Further instructions were received to charge all 65 persons by way of summons.
Police said that around 11 pm on Sunday, January 2, 2022, members of the CRPU embarked on an operation in the Western Peninsular.
The team maintained surveillance while at Alcan Bay, Chaguaramas, during which time they observed several vehicles entering the area.
The officers observed both adult males and females exiting from the vehicles while dressed in what appeared to be clothing for a party, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) stated in a release.
People then boarded a pirogue at different intervals which was making trips to an unknown location at sea.
The police later observed a white 44 square foot catamaran boat, sailing west of Pt Gourde with a large group of persons on board being served drinks and dancing to music.
The police instructed the captain of the vessel to stop, the police went aboard the vessel, which was then taken to the Coast Guard Headquarters at Staubles Bay.
With the assistance of the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard personnel a search of the vessel was conducted, where 65 persons were discovered on board.
Also, in a stairwell compartment, one Sig Sauer pistol fitted with a magazine containing ten rounds of nine-millimetre ammunition was seized.
Investigations are continuing into the matter.
