73-y-o woman abducted in Trinidad, found on boat heading to Venezuela

What began as a terrifying home invasion quickly turned into a high-stakes sea chase, as police swooped in just in time to rescue a 73-year-old kidnapping victim from a boat off the coast of Trinidad late Tuesday night.

The victim, Tara Poliah, had been abducted shortly after 7 p.m. from her home along Don Miguel Road in San Juan by a group of armed men, triggering an urgent police response.

But in a stunning breakthrough, officers acting on a radar alert intercepted a vessel just before midnight about one nautical mile off the coast near Corozal.

On board, they found Poliah along with eight men -- six Venezuelans and two Trinidad and Tobago nationals -- who were all taken into custody. Investigators believe the group was attempting to move the elderly woman out to sea when their plan was foiled.

The daring rescue involved multiple units of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, backed by the Coast Guard and Air Support Unit in what officials described as seamless coordination.

Two more suspects were later held at Tyrico Bay, pushing the total number of persons detained in connection with the kidnapping to ten.

Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro hailed the operation, saying it highlights the power of intelligence-led policing in cracking down on organised crime and cross-border kidnapping networks.

Authorities say the radar system, which monitors maritime activity across the region, played a key role in detecting the vessel and preventing the woman from being taken further out to sea.

Poliah was found unharmed and has since been reunited with her family, as investigations continue.

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