Although police officials in Tobago have cited porous borders as one of the ways illegal high-powered rifles are finding their way onto the island, senior Government officials yesterday admitted it was not “usual” or “normal” to scan vehicles heading to and from Tobago on the ferries.
Speaking with Guardian Media, one official agreed this “loophole” in the security apparatus could easily facilitate criminal elements moving illegal weapons and other contraband undetected and without consequence.
Explaining that travel between the islands was considered domestic, the official said scans of vehicles and cargo heading to and from Tobago were not necessarily a high priority.
This aside, Guardian Media understands there are no vehicular scanners at any of the ports operated by the Port Authority of T&T (PATT).
While he stopped short of saying the weapons being used in the recent spate of murders in Tobago had been trafficked from Trinidad, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Tobago, Collis Hazel, on Monday said, “We have a gun problem because our borders are porous and anything can come inside there.”
The Government official said greater attention needs to be paid to the owners of fishing boats and pleasure yachts that operate between the islands.
The official said, “Private boats headed to the island can also be used to smuggle weapons and other contraband and because this is a domestic route, they know law enforcement aren’t scanning for anything.”
However, the official argued that high-powered rifles can be disassembled and concealed in anything going to Tobago, so it would be unfair to point fingers at the PATT alone.
Contacted on the matter, a senior official attached to the PATT, who did not want to be named, said, “We have security at the terminal 24/7. Additionally, we would have other agencies—Licensing, TTPS—doing checks from time to time. They don’t tell us when they are coming, they just show up.”
Saying PATT was used to increasing security checks during peak periods, the official said, “No, we don’t have (vehicular) scanners but they (security officers) do random checks.”
However, the official promised, “We are working on the scanners. There are plans to have scanners here. I cannot say exactly when but I know that has been in train for a while, so I think we are very close to getting those scanners here.”
Asked if the security could result in the easy and free flow of weapons and other contraband from Trinidad to Tobago, the official said, “It is not only here, there are loopholes all over. There are yachts that go up to Tobago and nobody knows what goes on those.”
Indicating the PATT had security scanners in place for walk-on passengers, the official said, “We check bags and persons going through, and we have security checking vehicles but of course, they can’t check every single vehicle.”
The official said personnel from the T&T Police Service (TTPS) were also involved in checking vehicles coming off the ferries when they arrive in Tobago, so this was another measure to try and stem the flow of illegal contraband.
“We don’t have a vehicle scanner here but that is in train now. They are trying to get those scanners right now,” the official said.
In 2014, former transport minister Stephen Cadiz had indicated that the People’s Partnership (PP) government was set to buy two vehicle scanners at a cost of $20 million, in order to lock down all ports of entry into the country and stifle the importation of illegal drugs and weapons.
His assurance then followed a cocaine seizure valued at $644 million which had originated from Norfolk, Virginia, USA.