Venezuelan making a drop-off of drugs or guns on a beach in Guapo last

Radar system was credited with detecting a Venezuelan
making a drop-off of drugs or guns on a beach in Guapo last
week, but the contraband was missing and the crew abandoned
the boat when Coast Guard vessels tried to make an
interception. The three-member crew was not found and likely
made it back to Venezuela on another fishing boat, police
The radar installation on the San Fernando Hill that forms
part of the State's $100 million 360-degree coastal
surveillance system went dead again four days ago and has
become a roost for corbeaux.
All day yesterday, the birds, which feed on carrion, flew
around or nestled on the facility. But the Ministry of
National Security has refused to comment on what some believe
to be a malfunction of the system that Government considers
critical in the fight against drug and gun smugglers.
Communications specialist with the Police Service, Wendy
Campbell, referred queries to the ministry. When the radar
went down recently, the ministry had promised to send a
release on the matter. That release was not forthcoming up to
yesterday. Communications specialist with the Special Anti
Crime Unit of Trinidad and Tobago (SAUTT), Ucill Cambridge,
meanwhile said the radar was not its responsibility.
The Express reported earlier this month that the radar in San
Fernando went on the blink last October, and technicians
replaced components during a day-long repair job.
The radar, which must rotate on a pedestal in order to conduct
surveillance, has been beset with problems since then, the
Express learned.
Technicians returned yesterday afternoon to the installation,
which is part of a radar network set up around Trinidad and
Tobago to monitor maritime traffic. No one wanted to answer
questions yesterday about what was broken in the facility on
the Hill.
Insiders said that the technicians were trained by Israeli
experts to maintain the system, but there were questions about
how much they could do. The Advanced Coastal Surveillance
Radar (ACSR) was bought from Israel's Aircraft Industries Ltd.
Both Prime Minister Patrick Manning and National Security
Minister Martin Joseph said the radar system was key in the
fight against guns and drugs-fuelled violent crimes.
Organised Crime, Narcotics and Firearms Bureau (OCNFB)
officers have also disputed the statements of PNM party
chairman John Donaldson that the radar was up and running and
responsible for a recent big bust. The bust was made in Erin
and police recovered more than $1 million in marijuana, guns
and military uniforms smuggled in from South America.
Information about the contraband came from tips and
surveillance work by Trinidad's south coast, said police.
OCNFB sources have pointed to the large amount of cocaine
being seized from drug mules at the Piarco International
Airport as proof that cocaine smuggling remained high.
Customs and Excise officers told the Express that there
continued to be a steady stream of South American sex workers
landing by boat on Trinidad's west coast, and of a growing
problem where Africans, and recently Vietnamese, were being
smuggled by fishing boat from Guyana into Trinidad, lured by
the promise of construction jobs.

Paul Salandy , aka Paul Salandy de Four

Man described as a major player in the international drug world, has been shot and killed and his body jumped in the Heights of Guanapo. Paul Salandy of Ocean Avenue, Cocorite, was kidnapped from his home at about 1.30 am on Thursday. His body was found at about 1 pm on Thursday at Dump Road, but he was only identified yesterday at the Forensic Science Centre, Federation Park, by relatives. The body bore gunshot wounds to the head and chest.Detectives of the Western Division said Salandy was “well known to the police.” They believe his kidnapping was as a result of a drug deal which went sour.
They also strongly suspected that there was a “Venezuelan connection” to the killing.

Salandy, also known as Paul Salandy de Four, was the owner of a travel agency in Woodbrook.



A $300,000 ransom was demanded for Salandy’s safe release. Police said no ransom was paid. In 1990, Salandy was arrested in Westmoorings by members of the Narcotic Squad. The officers seized a kilo of cocaine valued $500,000, $180,000 in cash and a motorcar. He was charged by ACP Raymond Craig for the offence and the matter, after 18 years is still pending in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court. Salandy, police said, was also involved in major drug trafficking from Colombia and Venezuela to North America and Europe.

Police said that it was on one of his trips in 2000, that he was arrested in France for being in possession of a quantity of cocaine. Salandy was subsequently charged with the offence and sentenced to four years imprisonment. Upon his release, Salandy was deported to Trinidad and up until his death was the focus of attention of law enforcement officers both locally and in the United States of America.

Salandy was also the owner of a travel agency. Investigations are continuing.

drug trade was fuelling the gang murders

cocaine trafficking and possession, of the 63 arrested by the OCNFB, 10 were under 25, 15.87 per cent, while 17 of the 47 held for marijuana were younger than 25, 36 per cent. Prime Minister Patrick Manning said the
drug trade was fuelling the gang murders and that his Government was moving to eradicate narcotics smuggling. Police Commissioner Trevor Paul, commenting on the figures, said: "Clearly, some of our youths are in trouble, and if the right measures are not put in place, we may lose a substantial amount of that generation to homicides and the drug trade. I reiterate, all stakeholders need to join with the police to save the youths, some of whom may be our future leaders."

Overall in 2007, the OCNFB seized 166.752 kilos of cocaine and 3,791.54 kilos of marijuana, respectively carrying a street value of $66,696,800 and $22,749,240.
In all, 110 people were arrested for narcotic related crimes, 63 for cocaine and 47 for marijuana.
Of that figure, 80 were locals, the remaining 30 foreigners, all charged for cocaine offences.
The foreigners came from South Africa, the United States, St Vincent, Romania, Latvia, Nigeria, Spain, Holland, Kuwait, Malaysia, Canada and Hungary.
The heliport sub unit of the OCNFB also destroyed 148 marijuana fields, consisting of 162,210 marijuana trees, 15,500 seedlings and 193.95 kilos of cured marijuana.
The unit also destroyed 14 camps, seized 11 trap guns and 31 12-gauge cartridges.
No one was arrested during these raids.
No heroin was seized in 2007.The OCNFB said it is committed to further reducing drug trafficking,