THE dangerous methamphetamine laboratory at San Fernando may still have been operational it if weren’t for United States law enforcement agencies.
The US crime fighters carried out surveillance that led to the lab at The Residences, just off the southern city.
The local police then pounced and arrested and charged Chinese national Hong Fui Wu, 24, who has since been given $200,000 bail.
There is speculation of more meth labs in the country.
There is also conjecture that American law enforcement officials did the fieldwork that led to the busting of an illegal operation that made 3-D “ghost guns.”
The crackdown was made at a house at Caparo Valley, in Central Trinidad.
Police Commissioner Erla Christopher-Harewood has given credit to a Specialist Unit of her agency.
But law enforcement sources say the lawless activity may have been taking place under the nose of the local police service without any arrests.
The US law enforcement operatives did the intelligence gathering and surveillance that led to the $234 million cocaine bust at Chaguaramas last May.
The seizure of the 168 kilograms of cocaine was made by local police officers.
Three people were arrested.
The United States has, in recent times, provided extensive support to the T&T Police Service, especially with respect to gun and drug trafficking.
In recent months, the United States has cranked up its crime-fighting support for Trinidad and Tobago and other Caribbean territories.
Ambassador Candace Bond has been assertive, and Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have pledged financial and technical resources.
Blinken has appointed the first-ever coordinator for Caribbean Firearms Prosecutions.
At a meeting with Caricom leaders in The Bahamas in June, Harris announced measures to tackle gun smuggling in the region.
The US agencies involved in crime-fighting in T&T include the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, and Customs and Border Protection.
The US Embassy in Port of Spain said that “significant security assistance” is being provided to T&T.
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