State of emergency declared amid national security threat
The Government of Trinidad and Tobago has declared a State of Emergency following confirmation of a coordinated and dangerous criminal network operating from within the nation’s prison system.
The move follows a formal recommendation from Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro, who cited credible intelligence that incarcerated individuals are leveraging internal and external connections to orchestrate attacks on senior police officers, judicial figures, personnel within the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and prison officers.
Officials say the campaign is structured and involves multiple criminal elements working in concert, with a level of planning and execution that surpasses the capability of conventional law enforcement responses.
A key enabler of the threat has been the illegal trafficking of mobile phones into prisons by compromised insiders, allowing encrypted communications between inmates and outside operatives. The funding for these operations has reportedly come from a range of violent and organised crimes, including high-value robberies, armed home invasions, kidnapping, extortion, and the exploitation of state-funded programmes and contracts.
Given the severity of the threat, the State of Emergency will empower law enforcement agencies to immediately contain the situation, boost inter-agency coordination, and access the necessary resources and authority to disrupt and neutralise the criminal network. However, no curfew has been imposed at this time.
A specialised Threat Response Group comprising various arms of the protective services has been established with a specific mandate to dismantle the network. An emergency briefing was held on the night of July 17 with the Prime Minister and Attorney General, leading to the swift execution of containment measures, including the strategic relocation of high-risk inmates to disrupt command structures.
Law enforcement has already begun targeted overt and covert operations which will continue until the threat is neutralised.
The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service has assured the public that it remains committed to protecting the country’s democratic institutions and the safety of all citizens. Authorities are urging the public to remain calm, cooperate with law enforcement, and report any suspicious activity.
