NATIONAL Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds said the police and the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) are aggressively dealing with reports about criminals demanding “protection money” from business owners in Kelly Village.

He made this statement in response to questions from Caroni East MP Dr Rishard Seecharan in the House of Representatives.

Kelly Village falls within Seecharan’s constituency.

Hinds said, “This is a most serious criminal offence.”

He added, “In the pursuit of their selfish and nefarious goals, these criminals have openly engaged in home invasions of their targets and their victims.”

Hinds said the police and the TTDF have a multi-pronged approach to address this matter.

“This model allows for several covert and overt initiatives which are aimed at investigating, suppressing and ultimately eradicating this type of offence.”

Hinds did not provide any additional details about these initiatives. He said, “Additionally, this offence is considered in the schedule of offences under the Anti-Gang Act 2021.”

As a result, Hinds continued, the police’s gang intelligence units are mandated to investigate all reports of these activities.

He said this happens even in cases where reports are not made to the police but “intelligence suggests the existence of this offence.” Hinds said the police understand the trauma experienced by victims of these crimes. He added the police continue to encourage members of the public to report “all such encounters, confident that the criminals will be pursued to the end and justice will be served.”

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