Seven persons were arrested in connection with illegal quarrying activities and breaching the Covid-19 Regulations during an anti-crime exercise conducted in the Cumuto.

Officers of the Northern Division’s Major Operations Team conducted the exercise between 9:00 am and 11:00 am, on Monday along with the Inspector of State Lands and personnel of the Forestry Division and Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force. The seven men were operating two excavators, a front loader and trucks.

They could not provide documentation granting them permission to operate during the Covid-19 Regulations and the Inspector of State Lands noted that the area being excavated was State Lands and that no permission was given, by any agency, to have quarrying conducted. Forestry officials also indicated that no permission was granted to destroy trees on the area of land.

The seven men, ages ranging from 32 to 65 years, of the Chaguanas, La Horquetta, and Cumuto districts were arrested and investigations are ongoing.