Authorities say a US embassy backed operation exposed alleged drug, firearms, and corruption links
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago — US law enforcement authorities, working alongside Trinidad and Tobago police units, have supported the arrest of three Trinidad citizens, including an active-duty police officer, in a transnational drug and firearms trafficking case tied to a US federal indictment.
The US Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago said arrests were carried out on Dec. 30, 2025, following the execution of three provisional arrest warrants by personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Vetted Unit. The operation was supported by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Special Investigative Unit and the Transnational Organized Crime Unit.
Those arrested were identified as Rafael Joseph, Michael McSween and Clevon Persad. Embassy officials confirmed that Joseph is a serving member of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service.
According to the embassy release, all three suspects are charged in the Eastern District of New York with conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, as well as firearms-related offenses. The charges stem from a 2024 DEA investigation that involved coordination with the DEA New York Field Division.
US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Dr. Jenifer Neidhart de Ortiz described the arrests as a significant example of bilateral cooperation between Washington and Port of Spain.
“This was a great example of bilateral cooperation between our two countries and a significant blow to not only drug and firearms trafficking, but also against public corruption with the arrest of the police officer,” Neidhart de Ortiz said in a statement. She added that collaboration between the DEA Vetted Unit and local investigative teams demonstrated the “multiplier power” of agencies from both countries working together.
The involvement of a serving police officer has raised renewed concerns about corruption and insider facilitation within regional law enforcement agencies, an issue Caribbean governments have increasingly pledged to confront as organized crime networks expand their reach.
Trinidad and Tobago Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro confirmed that one of the individuals detained is a TTPS officer and said the suspect is now awaiting deportation.
“I can confirm that close collaboration with United States law enforcement authorities has resulted in the successful arrest of a TTPS member who is now awaiting deportation,” Guevarro said. “This joint operation reflects the strength of our international partnerships and our unwavering commitment to accountability at every level of the organisation.”
Guevarro emphasized that the police service remains committed to maintaining institutional integrity, noting that cooperation with foreign partners will continue as authorities pursue individuals accused of betraying the public trust.
The DEA’s Caribbean leadership echoed those remarks, underscoring the broader implications of the case beyond the arrests themselves.
DEA Caribbean Division Special Agent in Charge Michael A. Miranda said the coordinated action sends a clear message to criminal networks and corrupt officials alike.
“This operation reflects the strength of true bilateral partnership,” Miranda said. “The successful execution of these provisional arrest warrants by the Trinidad and Tobago Vetted Unit, with support from SIU and TOCU, sends a clear message: no one is above the law.”
Miranda added that the investigation targeted both narcotics and firearms trafficking, crimes that continue to fuel violence and instability across the Caribbean and into North America.
“Together, we are not only dismantling drug and firearms trafficking networks, but also confronting public corruption head-on,” he said. “When trusted partnerships stand united, our communities are safer and justice prevails.”
US and Trinidad and Tobago authorities have increasingly relied on vetted units and joint task forces to combat organized crime, particularly in cases involving cocaine smuggling routes that transit the southern Caribbean en route to the US mainland. Law enforcement officials have long warned that traffickers seek to exploit insider access within police and port operations to move drugs, weapons and illicit proceeds.
While embassy officials did not release further details about the scope of the alleged conspiracy, the charges in the Eastern District of New York indicate the case has implications well beyond Trinidad and Tobago’s borders. US prosecutors have frequently used federal courts in New York to pursue complex international narcotics and firearms cases involving Caribbean-based networks.
US federal courts in New York have increasingly become a focal point for prosecuting international narcotics cases with Caribbean connections. Those broader enforcement efforts include other high-profile proceedings, such as the case in which Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro appeared in a New York courtroom on drug-related charges.
The US Embassy said the arrests highlight the importance of sustained cooperation between regional and international partners in addressing transnational organized crime. Officials from both countries stressed that investigations of this nature are ongoing and that additional enforcement actions remain possible.
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