$193.5 million worth of cocaine found near preschool

Police seized cocaine worth an estimated $193.5 million from a warehouse in Longdenville, Central Trinidad, in a residential area next to a preschool. Officers found 420 packages concealed inside four large backhoe tyres.

The operation followed reports that firearms and narcotics might be hidden at premises along Pokhor Road, east of Chaguanas. Police searched the residence, warehouse and surrounding compound under Section 12 of the Emergency Powers Regulations 2026, which allows officers to enter and search premises without first obtaining a conventional warrant in specified circumstances.

The tyres were mounted on rims inside the warehouse. A closer inspection revealed rectangular packages packed in crocus bags. The packages weighed approximately 416.5 kilograms in total. Customs officers later helped weigh and document the seizure, although police said they discovered the cocaine during their search.

Police estimated the cocaine’s value at about $464,640 per kilogram, producing a total estimate of $193.5 million. A 42-year-old businessman from the British Virgin Islands and two St Lucian nationals, aged 38 and 37, were detained. The drugs were taken to the Special Investigations Unit in Port of Spain, while the three detainees were held at St Joseph Police Station as the investigation continued.