Twenty-two Venezuelan nationals were detained for illegal entry into the country during an anti-crime exercise conducted in the El Socorro area between the hours of hours of 6:15 am and 9:00 am on Friday.

During the exercise several warrants were executed and houses searched, which resulted in the arrest of 22 Venezuelan nationals who had no valid IDs or permits to reside in Trinidad and Tobago.

The 22 detained persons were then conveyed to the El Socorro Health Centre where they were medically examined, they were later conveyed to the San Juan and Morvant Police Stations. Personnel of the Immigration Division were informed of the arrest.

The exercise, spearheaded by Snr Supt Maharaj, W/Supt Maynard- Wilson, Supt Alexander and ASP Pariman, coordinated by Ag/Sgt Martin, and Sgt Bharath, supervised by Ag/Cpl Duncan and Ag/ Cpl Majeed, also included members of the North Eastern Division Task Force (N.E.D.T.F), and San Juan and Morvant C.I.D. Investigations are continuing.