Police high command officers say that deceptive means of using ‘false money’ packages in the illegal drug trade is a contributor to reprisal killings in St Vincent and theGrenadines.
The comment from very senior police officers came at a press conference yesterday – one day after police operation in the Brighton-Diamond area saw the seizure of a number of firearms, ammunition, a white mask and a number of packages with $15,000 written on them but which were found to be stuffed with some cut paper, giving
“If you get a closer view of this package, you would see what is written on it in figures – which is $15,000. But when you open the package, this is what is in the package,” Deputy Commissioners of Police, Frankie Joseph said, opening a package to reveal some cut paper. “So, I don’t think I have to explain.”
The deputy commissioner of police said it is believed that the fake packages are used in the illegal transactions.
“Whether they purchase weapons or they purchase drugs, they will give the persons they are purchasing these illegal stuff from these packages. So, they collect what they have to collec and they leave,” Joseph said.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police added: “Even though they are involved in illegal activities, they are expecting to be paid. And they are expecting to be paid legitimate monies, and, if on their findings, they realise that it is not money, it is paper, then you have to expect these reprisals.”
Head of the Criminal Investigations Department Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Hezran Ballantyne, commenting on the matter, noted that persons involved in illegal trade sach as planting marijuana in the hills of the country work very.
“And can you imagine them receiving paper in place of genuine currency?” he asked,emphasizing the reason there are some reprisal killings,
“We so many gun-related offenses and it increases our homicide rate per year,” ASP Ballantyne said.