Caribbean: Trinidad and Tobago has declared its second state of emergency this year with heightened fears of coordinated action by organised crime gangs operating both inside and outside the nation’s prisons.
Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro made the announcement, citing intelligence received a day earlier indicating that several gangs had united into a single crime syndicate with plans to carry out assassinations, robberies and kidnappings.
Guevarro stated that, “There are persons who seem hellbent on facilitating the communication of these persons with the outside. So by removing them from this environment and placing them in one where they are much more secure, I can feel rest assured that the communication link is broken.”
The move includes the relocation of several known gang leaders to more secure facilities to disrupt communication networks and prevent the coordination of criminal activity. Despite the serious nature of the intelligence, Guevarro noted that there had been no recent surge in crime, describing the declaration as a pre-emptive step aligned with the government’s broader security strategy.
The attorney general, John Jeremie, confirmed a recent resurgence in gang-related homicides and kidnappings, contradicting earlier reports of a 33 percent drop in crime rates earlier this year. He did not specify how long the state of emergency would last, saying only that it would continue as long as the security forces tell us that they need the additional legislative support.
The current order, similar to one imposed in December 2024 and extended in January 2025, does not include a curfew but grants expanded powers to law enforcement, including warrantless entry into premises.
Former police commissioner Gary Griffith criticised the move, calling it ridiculous and blaming corrupt prison officers for enabling gang leaders to continue their operations.
With a population of approximately 1.5 million, Trinidad and Tobago has struggled with high rates of violent crime, recording 624 homicides last year. The country remains among the most violent in Latin America and the Caribbean.
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