News
Stephon Nicholas
Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander has urged the family of the Trinis allegedly killed aboard a “drug boat” from Venezuela to file a missing-persons report at the nearest police station.
On October 14, a US missile strike destroyed a boat in international waters and killed six alleged drug traffickers. The family of a Las Cuevas man claim their relative was aboard the vessel as well as another Trinidadian known as “Samaroo.”
It was the fifth such missile strike by the US in its battle against narco-traffickers in the southern Caribbean, leaving over 20 people dead. However, no evidence of illegal drugs aboard the boats have been presented. US President Donald Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth have insisted that their intelligence on the motive of the vessels are unquestionable.
In an interview with i95.5FM on October 17, Alexander said his ministry has received no information about the incident and was only relying on reports from the media. He said relatives should speak to the police as soon as possible.
“That is the first thing they should have done,” he said. “(Tell the police) that their family was this place or that place and he has not contacted them. Something to start with. As it is right now, there is nothing n to work with – absolutely nothing.”
Asking where was the manifest for the vessel, Alexander said it was interesting to hear the family of the men say they were making “runs” to Venezuela.
“The media never asked what runs he was making. Is it the cricket field or what runs? I was confused myself.”
The former police officer added, “If yuh out in the water on a boat and who knows what you were doing there, those who know what you were doing there need to come to us and help with the investigation.”
Alexander also mentioned a 2018 incident involving one of the people allegedly killed aboard the boat. He said the man was “well known to me from my past life…We are quite aware of his behaviours, his actions, and what he accustomed doing.”