Canadian vlogger arrested in Trinidad after gang videos

The 45-year-old had previously published a video on YouTube this week in which suspected gang members “advocate criminal activities and use threatening language,” it said.

The charges carry a maximum prison sentence of five years and a fine of $3,000.

Hughes, who arrived on the Caribbean island about three weeks ago, interviewed a number of suspected gang members during his trip and shared his experiences on Facebook and YouTube – earning him more than 100,000 views.

All videos have now been removed.

In some of them, armed suspected gang members complained about their treatment by the government.

A message on his YouTube page, purporting to come from members of his family, said Hughes was being held without access to a lawyer.

Trinidad and Tobago is located just a few kilometers from the South American mainland and has become an important transit point for drugs, weapons and people.

According to government figures, more than 100 gangs are active in the country of 1.4 million inhabitants. Almost half of the 242 murders registered in the country last year were due to gang activities.

Last week, the daughter of a street vendor was kidnapped and apparently released for ransom.

Four members of the gang that was blamed for this crime were killed by the police. It was one of the gangs that Hughes had visited.

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