In a decisive early-morning raid on October 9, heavily armed police dismantled a sophisticated illegal quarrying operation in Manuel Congo, Guanapo, east Trinidad. The operation, which had been under surveillance for over a year, was described as one of the most environmentally devastating and financially lucrative illegal activities in the region. The raid resulted in the arrest of 19 individuals, including the quarry owner, who police identified as a major figure in the illegal quarrying industry with operations spanning two decades. The site, which had been previously shut down in July, had quietly resumed operations before being permanently closed during the raid. The quarry, equipped with advanced machinery and a fully air-conditioned administrative building, was responsible for clearing acres of virgin forest, mining hills, and processing minerals into construction materials like red sand, sharp sand, and gravel. Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro condemned the operation as a theft of national resources, emphasizing its ecological and financial toll. The investigation will now focus on the financial networks and real estate portfolios linked to the quarrying profits, with police vowing to prosecute those involved rigorously.
[UPDATED] $m Manuel Congo site shut down – Illegal quarry boss nabbed
