Thursday, September 2, 2004

Eight persons including policemen were arrested and several guns and ammunition seized when a large contingent of police officers swooped on a business place in Bel Air yesterday afternoon.
The two-storey wood and concrete structure which is said to be the head office of Masters Touch Carpet Cleaning was also used as an office for a well known man who was associated with a recent major arms find.
The police during the three-hour operation at Lot 16 Back Street Bel Air impounded several vehicles and removed computers and other equipment along with several boxes and files. Up to press time yesterday the arrested men were still being questioned at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters. A senior officer confirmed to this newspaper that several weapons were seized during the operation.
The seemingly well-planned operation got underway shortly after 5 pm amid tight security. It ended some time after 9 pm Eyewitnesses said they saw when at least five jeeps of policemen sped into the street with the sirens of their vehicles blaring. The vehicles halted in front of the house and the ranks rushed in immediately with their guns at the ready.
At this point the eight men were at various sections of the premises, but no one was upstairs, an eyewitness recalled.
Stabroek News was told that the officers were overheard calling on the men to stop what they were doing before explaining that they were there to conduct an operation.
By this time word of the police presence in the area spread and the street was soon crowded with people. Some however went away after some of the ranks commanded them to leave. Stabroek News was told that searches were first conducted in the bottom flat of the house, where the offices were located.
There the police gathered a number of carton boxes, file folders and other items. They also found weapons concealed in drawers in the office and these were also seized.
At this point the eight men were mobilised in one area and searched. Two of the arrested men were wearing uniforms with the logo Masters Touch Carpet Cleaning on them. The other men wore civilian clothing.
After searching the men the police escorted them to one of their vehicles and they were taken to CID headquarters.
Still on the premises the officers checked the upstairs of the house which according to neighbours was not in use. The lights were switched on, but the ranks did not find anything there according to information. When Stabroek News arrived on the scene, some of the ranks had just returned from Eve Leary having escorted the eight men there.
At this point a tow truck was seen removing vehicles from the yard. Stabroek News was told that some of the vehicles might have been there for cleaning of their carpets. However this could not be confirmed since according to one man some of the men who frequented the house were seen driving the said vehicles.
Among the vehicles impounded by the police during the raid were three cars with licence plates PHH 8071, PHH 777 and PHH 8735 as well as a black Tacoma pickup, GJJ 66. It resembled one that was seized several years ago with arms and ammunition.
Police on the scene refused to disclose any details about the operation or about the persons whom they had invited to headquarters. Attorney-at-law Glen Hanoman, who is representing one of the men held during the operation was also denied access to his client up to press time last night.
His client is a police corporal who has in the past been the subject of controversy over his ties to a number of persons.
Neighbours also told this newspaper that various police vehicles would usually be seen parked in front of the house almost on a daily basis. So it was very surprising when we see them (police) come this afternoon to carry away the men them things, a neighbour said.