Chinese national arrested in Trinidad and Tobago for making methamphetamine in secret lab

Agents of the Special Police Unit, run by Sergeant Guevaro, worked with intelligence and the US military to dismantle the Trinidad and Tobago’s first methamphetamine laboratory.

The operation took place on August 14 in a building with modern luxury condominiums in the city of San Fernando in the west of the island, and ended with a Arrest a Chinese citizen.

Around 6 a.m. Monday morning, police entered a unit in South Park Residences with a search warrant.

In the process, they discovered multiple signs secret laboratory.As the brigade noted in a statement, confiscated chemical precursordata pack crystals of various sizes -as methamphetamine– There are a lot more cash.

According to local media reports, Wu HongfeiAn alleged Chinese businessman was charged with responsibility for the unit’s findings and subsequently charged with Possession of methamphetamine for trafficking purposes.

His lawyer, Larry Williams, visited him at the Princess Township Police Station and asked to grant his client reasonable bail Because he has no convictions or pending cases.

According to the lawyer, Wu was employed by a company that produced dog food and had lived in Trinidad and Tobago since he was 12 years old. He legally resides at 214 Bay View Street in the La Romaine neighborhood and studied at Vessigny Institute in Point Fortin.

During his virtual appearance with Judge Armina Deonaringsingh and prosecutor Gervais, the man agreed to pay $100,000 and a series of strict situation Thereby eliminating the risk of escape.During this period, Gervais demanded Delivery of your Chinese passport and a Legal notice with your address and contact phone number,This will be previously confirmed by the security forces No evidence was found to suggest he had links to the local community. Likewise, if Wu wishes to leave the island, he must consult a judge, although he must remain there until September 12the date of his next court appearance.

“While he has no criminal record, I ask the court to investigate the circumstances in which such crimes occurred in Trinidad and Tobago, the manner in which he was arrested, the items found, the searches of the defendant’s residence and the circumstances allegedly found in this place Yes,” Gervais said, backed by Deona Linsinger.

Williams declined the request for an affidavit because it is typical for tourists on the island and his client is a legally recognized resident. He also stated that once the brigade returned the passport to him, he would deliver it, despite the lack of validity of the passport.

The secret lab’s discovery has set off alarm bells in a country where crime is on the rise and young people are increasingly lured by crime and the consumption of illicit substances.

Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulants, capable of generating dependencies after a single consumption. The National Institute on Drug Abuse warns that there are several risks associated with using the substance, including infections such as HIV and hepatitis B and C.

Long-term consumption of it can also cause other damage to the body, such as dental problems, skin ulcers, structural changes in the brain, memory loss and paranoia.

This makes the first focus drug trigger a series of adverse effects on the populationSuch as increased violence and crime, overloaded health systems, and favorable terrain for drug trafficking to land in the country.

during an interview guardian mediaHowever, Dr Randy Sipersad, head of the Department of Criminology at the University of the West Indies, said he was not surprised by the discovery, and by default it might not be the only one in Trinidad and Tobago.

“There can always be more. If someone has the technology and the expertise to do it, they’ve probably spread that information to others.. But it’s a very, very subtle thing,” he explained.

“It’s very worrying because it means, If someone makes it, it will go abroad and young people will start consuming it…some people even become addicted to it, and that’s the danger. Certain populations do have a risk of becoming addicted. “

In that sense, he says, the creation of demand for drugs starts a vicious cycle that will lead to new labs to fill that demand.

“Once there is a demand for something, there is a demand to supply it, and if there is a supply gap -assuming a methamphetamine lab is detected and dismantled-, Supply gaps still exist.someone else will fill it“, Hold on.

That’s why he asked parents and adults to talk to young people about the dangers that addiction poses, while emphasizing the importance of a strong and determined response from the authorities, which allows these criminal gangs to be crushed.

“It involves both the public sector and the police, not just really fighting and detecting drug-related crime, but also detecting other types of crime,” he concluded.

Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher sent a A clear warning to international, regional and local criminal groupsand pledged that they would continue to work steadfastly to eradicate illicit synthetic drugs that are causing enormous damage to society.

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