Trinidad and Tobago law enforcement authorities have successfully dismantled a sophisticated transnational criminal network specializing in cross-border abductions following the dramatic rescue of 73-year-old Tara Poliah. The elderly woman was violently seized from her San Juan residence on Wednesday evening in a brazen kidnapping operation that triggered a massive multi-agency response.
The incident unfolded approximately at 7:12 PM when Poliah, captured on security footage, was engaged in conversation with a tenant dressed in black clothing regarding rental payments. Without warning, two additional assailants rushed the elderly woman from behind, forcibly covering her mouth and dragging her into a waiting white Nissan AD Wagon despite her desperate screams for help.
Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro immediately activated an extensive inter-agency operation involving the Traffic and Highway Patrol, Emergency Response Patrol, Anti-Kidnapping Unit, North Eastern Division Task Force, Coastal and Air Support Unit, and the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard. Strategic road checks were established across the Maracas Bay, Tyrico Bay, and Las Cuevas Bay areas as authorities tracked the movement of the getaway vehicle.
In a critical breakthrough, Coast Guard personnel intercepted a small vessel approximately one nautical mile north-northwest of Corozal on Trinidad’s northern coast at 11:59 PM based on intelligence from the Radar Centre. Poliah was discovered aboard the craft alongside six Venezuelan nationals and two Trinidadian men. Authorities believe the kidnappers were attempting to transport their victim to Venezuela via Tyrico Bay. Subsequent operations resulted in the detention of three additional Venezuelan suspects—two men and one woman—bringing the total apprehended to eleven individuals.
Commissioner Guevarro characterized the operation as “a significant breakthrough in our ongoing efforts to dismantle organised criminal groups involved in cross-border kidnappings,” praising the “speed, precision, and professionalism” demonstrated by participating agencies. The rescue operation involved senior police officials including DCP Intelligence and Investigations Natasha George, DCP Operations Suzette Martin, ACP Criminal Division Richard Smith, and Senior Superintendent of the CID Anderson Parryman.
The successful intervention has prompted serious security concerns among San Juan residents, many of whom expressed profound relief tempered with heightened anxiety regarding community safety. Neighbors revealed that Poliah frequently rented portions of her two-story residence to Venezuelan nationals, highlighting how criminals exploited this familiarity. While grateful for the positive outcome, community members acknowledged the incident has fundamentally altered their perception of security and vulnerability within their own neighborhoods.