THE Security Complex set up in Bonasse, Cedros some years ago to house a police station, a Coast Guard base, a jetty and a Customs office (since the area is an official port of entry), is now being described as a waste of time.

“The Complex has not stopped the flow of illegal drugs, guns and ammunition through Cedros and Icacos from nearby Venezuela,” an angry Icacos resident complained this week to TnT Mirror.

“The funny thing is that in a marine environment with much illegal trafficking going on, the Coast Guard based at the Complex rarely have a boat except a little pirogue, the Customs have no boat and the police also have no boat since their Marine Division was closed down so many years ago.

“You have to remember that all these offices are facing the Gulf of Paria, yet the guns and other illegal stuff are coming in just about four miles away on the waters of the Columbus Channel from Venezuela, with no resistance from the security forces.

“Nothing is really being done to stop the flow of these illegal articles, even though I am sure the authorities know what is taking place.”

He added: “The powers that be continue to allow the south-western seas to remain open house for illegal trafficking of drugs, arms and ammunition, even though people are killing one another by shooting every day with guns that the police say are coming from Venezuela.

“All the authorities seem to do is talk and more talk, while the back door continues to be left open for the deadly stuff to enter.

“From my observation over the years, I can tell you that guns, ammunition and drugs, mainly compressed marijuana and cylinders of cocaine, pure cocaine and other contraband stuff, come into the Icacos area on an almost daily basis and that has been going on for decades.

“For years the Venezuelans have been coming across the Columbus Channel and bringing in their stuff and there are locals who go over to buy.”

Speaking on behalf of fellow residents, he added: “The illegal drug and gun runners in the area are actually laughing at the police and the Coast Guard operating in their stupid ’lil pirogue, while the dealers sometimes have fast, well-equipped boats.

“It is also well known that all the police stations on the south west are usually short-staffed and short of vehicles. Indeed, it is also common knowledge that most of the time the Cedros Police have no vehicle.

“In addition, they won’t even put a police post in Icacos to help the situation. And in fact, if you don’t know that there is a police station in Point Fortin, you would never imagine that one exists there as you never see police officers about.

“In addition, there are no 999 vehicles assigned to La Brea, Point Fortin and Cedros.

“Granted that the people on the south-west are not much given to crime, not providing a police presence can be saying to the criminally inclined to go ahead and do as they please since there are no police around.”

The residents’ concerns were expressed in the aftermath of news that 100 rounds of 9mm ammunition were among the illegal articles allegedly found at a house on Richardson Street, Point Fortin, when the police raided recently.

“Illegal drugs, arms and ammunition continue to be brought into TnT with relative ease,” the resident insisted.

“The fact that the house where the ammunition and drugs were allegedly found is not even 200 metres from the Point Fortin Police Station confirms the point that some people are just not taking the police seriously.”

According to reports, a foreigner, Luis Albelaez, was found in the house when it was raided.

He and other occupants were arrested and charged with possession and trafficking of marijuana and cocaine.