One more arrest reported in
smuggling/trafficking probe
PHILIPSBURG--Another person has been arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into alleged human trafficking and drug-smuggling through the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA).
The investigation has already landed three female immigration officers, a Chinese businessman and a civil servant behind bars.
Prosecutor Johan de Vrieze told The Daily Herald on Tuesday that the latest suspect arrested, E.S. of Statia, had been held about a week ago “on suspicion of his involvement in human smuggling and being part of a criminal organisation.”
While there has been much speculation within the community that other police and immigration officers will “fall,” De Vrieze said he did not foresee any more arrests in the near future.
The island was shocked about three months ago when it was publicised that three immigration officers at PJIA had been detained as a result of an eight-month-long investigation.
Since their arrest, one of the female immigration officers and the businessman have filed a petition with the Court of First Instance for their release. They have since been released from pre-trial detention pending a court hearing.
This latest arrest means that four persons are currently being detained in connection with the probe: two female immigration officers, one national of China and the unemployed Statia-born suspect who resides in St. Maarten.
De Vrieze said that if at the end of the investigation there were recommendations of ways to improve the administrative process at the Airport Immigration Department, those recommendations would be given to the Lt. Governor. He said it was not yet possible to say what, if any, those recommendations would be.
De Vrieze also said that while he had no indication that any top-ranking officers were linked to the alleged crimes, “it is always sad when we have to detain people whom we work with, regardless of their rank.”
He said it could not be negated that the Prosecutor’s Office, like the Police Force, had the job of upholding law and order, and with the detention of even police officers it was evident that “we intend to do so.”
De Vrieze said, “But we do feel saddened when we find officers falling into trouble with the law. Sometimes we may ask, ‘But didn’t you know better?’ But whatever the case, their career is often over and, sadly, many times it’s the young ones that are falling.”
He said he couldn’t say for sure that the investigation would result in the detention of all persons involved, as sometimes one could take an investigation only so far as leads dried up and people refused to talk because they feared their punishment would be greater.
De Vrieze said these sorts of investigations stopped persons who might be doing similar things, as they began to realise that they too might be caught. He said, “In the end I hope it is clear to the community and everyone concerned that we take these matters of corruption very seriously, regardless of who is involved.”
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