By ONIKA JAMES Saturday, January 5 2008

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'NOT ME BOSS': A man is searched by two heavily armed police officers in the Sea Lots area during a major anti-crime raid which took place in Sea Lots...

SCORES OF heavily armed police officers and soldiers swooped down on Production Avenue and Pioneer Drive in Sea Lots and the Beetham yesterday in the year’s first major anti-crime raid.

Yesterday, law enforcement officers attached to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) went into Sea Lots using TT Defence Force trucks and heavily-tinted marked and un-marked police vehicles at about 11.30 am.

A short distance away, a contingent also took up positions in Beetham Gardens. In the face of the unforgiving midday sun and an unpleasant stench, police jumped out of vans wearing black tactical gear from head to toe, armed with Galil rifles while soldiers clad in camouflage gear and armed with MP 5 machine guns disembarked from trucks.

Curious residents observed the activities but quickly expressed a lack of interest and went about their daily business. The stoned face IATF officers cordoned off Produc-tion Drive, Pioneer Drive and other parts of Beetham. Some Police and soldiers took up guard at various abandoned buildings and entrances to the numerous tracks in Sea Lots, while others who were on mobile and foot patrol searched homes.

A mixture of dust and mud covered the boots of the security forces as they made their way into the maze at Produc-tion Drive.

Computers and surveillance equipment were in special air conditioned vans which took up strategic positions around the perimeter of the areas which were cordoned off.

Most of the security presence focused on Sea Lots which police officials said was the site of a result a fierce battle between two crime gangs.

The warring factions, one from Sea Lots and the other from Beetham, are said to be fighting for control of various blocks in Production Avenue and Pioneer Drive.

Some residents are also said to be living in fear because of the situation. Residents in both communities kept to themselves but those found wandering through tracks were immediately stopped and searched by police.

The crackdown in Sea Lots resulted in ten arrests and a quantity of marijuana being seized.

There were no reports of arrests in the Beetham area.