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By Linda Hutchinson-Jafar

PORT OF SPAIN, June 16 (Reuters) - The police commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago has written to FIFA requesting information on possible criminal activity which may have taken place in the Caribbean country.

A statement from the police’s public affairs unit on Thursday said the letter from police chief Dwayne Gibbs to soccer’s global governing body was a first step to seeing if an investigation was required into the allegations of bribery in Caribbean soccer.

The allegations have led to the suspension of Caribbean soccer chief Jack Warner and two staff members of the Caribbean Football Union—all citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.

“Please be informed that the Commissioner of Police has dispatched a letter to the Federation International of Football Association (FIFA) requesting information they have that may assist the TTPS (Trinidad and Tobago Police Service) into commencing any investigation/s into any alleged criminal activity within our jurisdiction,” read the statement.

The statement did not explain what information Gibbs was seeking but his letter to FIFA comes after opposition leader Keith Rowley criticised the police to investigate whether money was brought into the country without being declared.

FIFA are currently investigating a meeting of the Caribbean Football Union which was held in Port of Spain on May 10-11 with Asian soccer chief Mohamed Bin Hammam.

After the meeting between the Qatari, who was at that time running against Sepp Blatter for FIFA president, some federations say they received cash gifts of $40,000 in brown envelopes.

Suriname and Puerto Rico have confirmed receiving the cash, the Bahamas has said it turned down the offer of money while others, including federations from Barbados and Jamaica, have denied receiving or being offered any such payments.

Warner, who is also Minister of Works and Transport in the Trinidad and Tobago government, and Bin Hammam have both denied any wrongdoing.

The opposition People’s National Movement has been calling for an investigation to determine whether there were possible breaches of laws which prohibit the importation of money to the country.

Large sums of cash can only be brought into Trinidad and Tobago with the permission of the Central Bank and on arrival any amount over $780 has to be declared on customs forms. (Writing and additional reporting by Simon Evans; Editing by Frank Pingue; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Labels: allegations, information, police, Reuters, Trinidad