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Cops probe attacks on two customs officers
BY KIMMO MATTHEWS Sunday Observer staff reporter [email protected]
Sunday, March 29, 2009
TWO Jamaica Customs Department officers were targeted by gunmen - in separate incidents - on Friday, sparking a police investigation into whether the incidents were deliberate.
"Gunmen on Friday evening shot at a customs officer minutes after he left work and was travelling along Tinson Pen Road, off Marcus Garvey Drive," a spokesperson from the Customs Department told the Sunday Observer yesterday, adding that "two hours later gunmen roughed up and verbally assaulted another worker at her home".
The police told the Sunday Observer yesterday that an investigation was currently being carried out into the incidents.
Meanwhile, Commissioner of Customs Danville Walker said the attacks were believed to be as a result of the Customs Department's recent efforts to prevent and combat corrupt activities at the ports.
". We believe that the main reasons these officers were targeted is because they were doing their jobs or were trying to do their jobs (and) there is no doubt in my mind from what I have seen so far," Walker told the Sunday Observer yesterday.
Walker said that in recent weeks there were a number of changes, which brought the particular officers to the locations where they are currently posted. The transfer of officers, Walker explained, was part of a regular activity of the organisation.
But Walker said that since the changes there have been reports about a number of threats "against some workers by a number of persons notorious for threatening behaviour".
He also remarked that it appeared that persons in charge of the security were powerless to remove these persons because of 'loopholes' in the system.
The Customs chief, however, warned that the organisation would not allow the threats to deter the department from carrying out its duties, adding that the department would increase its vigilance at the ports of entry.
The Customs Contraband Enforcement Team (CET) stated on its website that in recent weeks it had made six seizures of approximately 38 kilogrammes of cocaine and three kilogrammes of marijuana across the island.
In one of its latest operations in February, the CET said it seized approximately six kilogrammes of compressed marijuana and six kilogrammes of marijuana seeds at the Central Sorting Office in Kingston.
In January, the department also reported that it was successful in its bid to have approximately US$565,160 forfeited to the Crown.
BY KIMMO MATTHEWS Sunday Observer staff reporter [email protected]
Sunday, March 29, 2009
TWO Jamaica Customs Department officers were targeted by gunmen - in separate incidents - on Friday, sparking a police investigation into whether the incidents were deliberate.
"Gunmen on Friday evening shot at a customs officer minutes after he left work and was travelling along Tinson Pen Road, off Marcus Garvey Drive," a spokesperson from the Customs Department told the Sunday Observer yesterday, adding that "two hours later gunmen roughed up and verbally assaulted another worker at her home".
The police told the Sunday Observer yesterday that an investigation was currently being carried out into the incidents.
Meanwhile, Commissioner of Customs Danville Walker said the attacks were believed to be as a result of the Customs Department's recent efforts to prevent and combat corrupt activities at the ports.
". We believe that the main reasons these officers were targeted is because they were doing their jobs or were trying to do their jobs (and) there is no doubt in my mind from what I have seen so far," Walker told the Sunday Observer yesterday.
Walker said that in recent weeks there were a number of changes, which brought the particular officers to the locations where they are currently posted. The transfer of officers, Walker explained, was part of a regular activity of the organisation.
But Walker said that since the changes there have been reports about a number of threats "against some workers by a number of persons notorious for threatening behaviour".
He also remarked that it appeared that persons in charge of the security were powerless to remove these persons because of 'loopholes' in the system.
The Customs chief, however, warned that the organisation would not allow the threats to deter the department from carrying out its duties, adding that the department would increase its vigilance at the ports of entry.
The Customs Contraband Enforcement Team (CET) stated on its website that in recent weeks it had made six seizures of approximately 38 kilogrammes of cocaine and three kilogrammes of marijuana across the island.
In one of its latest operations in February, the CET said it seized approximately six kilogrammes of compressed marijuana and six kilogrammes of marijuana seeds at the Central Sorting Office in Kingston.
In January, the department also reported that it was successful in its bid to have approximately US$565,160 forfeited to the Crown.
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