SIXTEEN high-risk prisoners appeared in court after they were arrested for allegedly having 43 cellphones, chargers, marijuana and cigarettes discovered during several surprise searches at the Port of Spain Prison.
The inmates will now face 66 additional charges.
Police said they appeared in court on August 13. The matters were adjourned to August 28 and 29.
The searches took place between July 8 and August 6.
Operation Intercept was initiated by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Intelligence and Investigations Suzette Martin after receiving "credible information," a news release from the police said.
On July 8, a team of police and prison officers searched the Port of Spain Prison, where they found and seized 39 cellphones and 749 grammes of marijuana from several high-risk inmates.
Nine inmates, five of whom are currently serving sentences for murder, were subsequently charged.
Romeo Shanchez was charged with possession of a cellphone, sim card, a pack of wrapping paper, 26 cigarettes and 41 packets of marijuana.
Jeremy Yeates was charged with possession of a cellphone.
Sayyid Albert was charged with possession of two cellphones, one charging block and charging cable and failing to give his fingerprints.
Jabari Williams, aka Shaquille Drayton, was charged with possession of a cellphone, four earpieces for a headset, charging block and charging cable.
Kelt Kirt was charged with possession of a cellphone, phone charger and charging block.
Travis Polo was charged with possession of two cellphones and a sim card.
Mickel Antoine, aka Spongebob, was charged with possession of two cellphones, one Bluetooth headset, a Samsung charging block, wired headset, two sim cards, a charging cord and failing to give fingerprints.
Kendell Gomez was charged with possession a cellphone and failing to give his fingerprints.
Michael Wilson was charged with possession of a cellphone.
Another Operation Intercept exercise took place at the Port of Spain Prison between 7 pm on July 13 and 1 am on July 14.
During the search, officers found and seized a cellphone, 26 grammes of marijuana and two grammes of ecstasy from several high-risk inmates.
Celeb Donaldson was charged with possession of a cellphone, a sim card, a lighter, wrapping paper, cigarettes and a quantity of marijuana.
On July 25, officers seized a cellphone from Sheldon Thomas, also known as Shaka and Rhino, who was charged with being in possession of a cellphone, one sim card, failing to give his fingerprints and four offences of using threatening language. Thomas, police said, is "a high-risk inmate."
On August 6, the team seized three cellphones, 89 grammes of marijuana, cigarettes, wrapping paper and one shank (improvised weapon) from several high-risk inmates.
Theon Agard was charged with possession of a Samsung A series cellphone, 58 grammes of marijuana, one lighter, one white Bluetooth wireless headset, two large packs of cigarettes, a Samsung charging block, a USB cable and four sheets of wrapping paper.
Renrick Paris, aka Tri
