A NATIONAL security investigation has been launched into “the local chain of events” that allowed an aircraft carrying volatile cargo to land in Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday without the required prior authorisation, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) said yesterday.
Commissioner of Police: Allister Guevarro
In a media release issued yesterday, the TTPS said after further enquiries and consultations with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, no laws were found to have been breached in relation to a cargo aircraft at Piarco International Airport or its operators.The aircraft and its crew were subsequently cleared to depart Trinidad and Tobago and have since resumed their scheduled journey, following the completion of local and international verifications.“However, the TTPS confirms that this incident has triggered a separate and active national security investigation into the local chain of events that allowed an aircraft transporting volatile cargo to land in Trinidad and Tobago without the required prior authorisation, thereby prompting the national security response under the current State of Emergency,” it stated.Authorities did not disclose the nature of the cargo, the aircraft’s country of origin, intended destination, or the circumstances under which the aircraft was permitted to land at the airport.The development raises fresh questions about airport clearance procedures and the systems in place for monitoring and authorising international cargo aircraft entering Trinidad and Tobago’s airspace, particularly during the ongoing state of emergency.Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro described the incident as an example of effective inter-agency coordination in matters involving international transit and sensitive cargo.“This incident has again demonstrated the positive results that can occur when we have that extraordinary level of interagency cooperation which is required in matters involving international transit, sensitive cargo, and cross-border coordination,” Guevarro stated.The Commissioner also acknowledged the coordinated efforts of several agencies involved in the operation, including the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU), the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force, Customs and Excise Division, the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago, and several specialised TTPS units.Among the TTPS divisions involved were Special Branch, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), the Multi-Option Police Section (MOPS), and the Guard and Emergency Branch (GEB).The TTPS said national security agencies remain “fully engaged, vigilant, and aligned” in safeguarding the country, and noted that further updates would be provided when “operationally appropriate”.Details surrounding the incident emerged in reports published in yesterday’s newspapers, which stated that the aircraft, an Antonov An-12BP cargo plane identified as Flight CVK-7078, landed at Piarco International Airport shortly before 7 p.m. on Thursday while en route from the Bahamas to Cape Verde, with a final destination of Libya.According to the Airports Authority of T&T, the aircraft had stopped in Trinidad for refuelling. However, investigations were launched after Immigration officers allegedly discovered that the aircraft was transporting industrial explosives which had not been declared in accordance with international aviation and security protocols.Reports stated the eight-member Ukrainian crew initially listed their cargo as “nil” while indicating they were making a technical stop. The discrepancy reportedly prompted further scrutiny by Customs and other security officials.Subsequent checks allegedly revealed that the aircraft was carrying approximately 7,656 kilogrammes of explosives labelled “Oilwell explosives” bearing the dangerous goods designation UN0440. Documents reportedly showed the cargo originated in Houston and was destined for Libya.At Friday’s sitting of Parliament, Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander said there was no threat, as he disclosed that the aircraft transporting several tonnes of prohibited dangerous items had been impounded and the crew detained.The minister responded to an urgent question from Opposition MP Marvin Gonzales, who asked what security measures had been implemented at the Piarco airport to ensure the safety and security of staff and members of the public following reports that the aircraft transporting explosives had landed there.He said the Police Service, intelligence agencies and the Ministry of Defence had conducted investigations.In a supplemental question, Gonzales asked Alexander if there were any immediate threats to citizens of Trinidad and Tobago in light of the actions taken by law enforcement officials.Alexander said the situation was being addressed and remained under control.
