Commissioner of Police, Gary Griffith, met last night with several well-known “persons of interest”, advising  them that the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) will respond quickly if there are any attempts to escalate gang-related criminal activity in the country.

This follows numerous WhatsApp messages purporting to such activities, which circulated yesterday and which caused fear and panic among the population.

Immediately upon receipt of this information, DCP (Ag.), ‘Operations’, Joanne Archie, held a coordinating meeting with various specialised and intelligence units, including GEB, SIU, MOB and IATF, POS CID, all First Division officers of POSD, the Traffic and Highway Patrol Branch and the POS Taskforce.

Following this meeting, several persons of interest were brought into the Besson Street and St. Joseph Police Stations.

Commissioner Griffith visited both police stations, where he issued a stern warning to persons of interest that were being held there, making it clear to them that the “TTPS will not tolerate any plans among groups to cause any mayhem and destruction.”

The CoP said he received hundreds of messages from concerned members of the public about the veracity of the messages.