(Trinidad Express) Hard times back home caused a 32-year-old Guyanese former policeman to come to this country, in order to make a living. The former cop was one of 12 persons arrested by officers of the North-Eastern Division Task Force during an exercise in Santa Cruz and San Juan in the heavy rains on Friday afternoon.

According to police, the suspect was arrested sitting on a wall near Bourg Mulatresse Secondary School. He allegedly had 29 grams of cocaine in one of his pockets. When questioned by police, the suspect told officers he left the Guyana Police Force two years ago, because he was fearful for his life. “If dem boy ah know dat you ah police, them ah lick shot at you,” the man told the officers. He added that after leaving the force, things got so hard that he decided to come to Trinidad.

“Boss, ah just collect dat thing to ah carry for ah man; you know. Gimme ah lil chance nah. It real hard in Guyana; you know, boss,” the man told officers after he was arrested. He was charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, since the alleged offence occurred within 500 yards of a school.