A 50-year-old businessman is expected to appear in court on Thursday charged with possession of three protected animals — two squirrel monkeys and a macaw.
The bar owner, of Gran Chemin, Moruga, was arrested during a sting operation organised of the joint army and police team and game wardens.
The businessman had posted an advertisement offering the animals for sale on social media. Law enforcement officials contacted him and the businessman brokered a sale for the animals for a total of $7,600.
The monkeys were being sold at $3,000 each while the macaw was priced at $1,600.
Around 10 am on Carnival Monday, the businessman was arrested after his Toyota Rav 4 was intercepted by the police along the Moruga Road, St Mary's Village.
Each animal was found in a cardboard box in the trunk. The squirrel monkeys are not native to T&T. They live in the tropical forests of Central and South America in the canopy layer.
The businessman was arrested and taken to the St Mary's Police Past where he is expected to be charged by senior game warden Steve Seepersad with three offences of possession of a protected animal.
The monkeys and the blue and yellow macaw will be taken to the Forestry Division's St Joseph Wildlife Section where they will be kept until the court hearing.
The businessman is expected to appear in the Princes Town Magistrates Court which is being temporarily housed in the Rio Claro Court. The offence carries a maximum fine of $10,000. PCs Phagoo and Bissoon were also involved in the arrest.