The investigations of firearms and ammunition found in a barrel at Wood Bridge Bay Port in 2016 is now in the hands of the law enforcement in the United States, Police Chief Daniel Carbon has revealed.
He said US officials are going to act on information given to them by local law enforcement.
“Investigation is in the US,” Carbon said. “I have provided them with all the necessary cooperation that I could. They visited me, I had dialogue with them in my office and the investigation is well in the hands of the US and they are making tremendous progress.”
Carbon gave the assurance that those involved in the matter will soon be brought to justice.
“I can guarantee very shortly, based on my dialogue with the US and communication with the US, that the US is well on their way to ensure that the people who shipped the barrel and those who it was intended for in Dominica face justice,” he stated. “The US will take a particular course of action in that, they have already instituted a course of action in that.”
The guns and ammunition were found and seized on Friday, September 30, 2016, in a barrel which also contained groceries. The barrel originated in the US.
The matter has been described by Minister of Justice, Immigration and National Security Rayburn Blackmoore as a major security threat.
The firearms seized were five Taurus pistols, one Teltec Pistol, five Taurus Revolvers and one Rossi Revolver.
A nine million volt stun gun was also seized.
180 rounds of 7.62 ammunition, 250 rounds of 9-mm ammunition, 300 rounds of .38 ammunition and 100 rounds of .357 ammunition were seized.
Additionally, three magazines of sub-machine gun rounds – one seven round, one 12 round, and one 29 round – were taken by the police.
In January 2017, Carbon stated that local police were making significant progress in investigating the matter.
When Choksi was brought to Dominca and the police got involved the matter was rightly investigated both in Dominica because it’s alleged he entered illigall and in Antigua because it’s also alleged he was kidnapped there. This is the right course of action. So why does sleepy Carbon tell us that the matter is now being investigated in the US? Crimes were committed in the US to do with possible illigall purchase and export of these ammunition, and crimes committed in Dominca with the illegal importation of firearms. The police chief was a square peg in a round hole and just occupying a position to do his master’s bidding. The country’s police and national security have gone to the dogs. Time to put a real police chief from outside the country to secure the country. This is an old story so who has been brought to justice? The new chief isn’t different from Carbon only a different face. I weep for you Dominca.
The reason it is taking so long for the investigation to conclude is because some high profile person is involved…
Let’s wait and see but some body is going to go down and so will their political aspirations and goals… ne ben YO PWI came,
One has to wonder who in high places was in on the deal ? The sender of the barrel may have had contacts in DA to facilitate the clearance of the firearms laden barrel without a search of its contents.
This was a well written article, with a particular intent when it was written. A matter happened 8-9 mouths ago, WITH NO CULPRIT FOUND. yet the U.S is making head way? so why should the state feel secure when we hear that National security is in the matter now? Thought the U.S was the party that have been making progress hmmm……… Anyway the only way we can make progress is to restructure our National security systems and not speeches or stuff that are not relevant. This should definitely be a wake up call, because the street seems to be having a better security structure, than that of the island. Focus on what matter will solve the problem, not politics (smh at even some of the bias comments MENTIONED) No more hope in these systems……. and this info is’not even relevant for the state!
I think the Police Commissioner is out of his jurisdiction. Do you all even know our customs laws? Why is the police involved? Was it cleared in customs? Is Carbon the spokesperson for customs? I may be wrong someone correct me please, is Carbon in charge of Customs in Dominica?
Why did the Police removed the barrels from the compound of Custom, and why didn’t the police waited to see who was coming to clear those barrels, something is fishy and Mr. Carbon your explanation is not plausible , the USA is doing there investigation on there side now what a you doing on your side Mr .,Carbon don’t mess around the Americans they are not threaten by any one so whenever they put out their results I hope you don’t burry your heard in the sand like you a doing right now .So I would suggest instead of sitting down on your hands waiting for whatever Mr.Carbon go and do your job you get paid by the tax payers so they have a right to questioning you at all cost.
Mr.Carbon stop asking the people to help you with your job when your department don’t respect the persons who turn over information to you so why do you believe they would do it over and over again they don’t trust your department, you have to clean up your act and some of your men.
Exactly!!
Customs / Police I don’t know know which is the weaker link in this rubbish!
I have never seen a better opportunity to put away some dangerous people and nothing was done?
It can only lead the public to come to the conclusion that someone is being protected by the authorities.
Who was the individual they were shipped to? Okay if sent to a false name he /she would have had to turn up to claim the barrel. I would not have even made an arrest at that point but follow up and monitor closely where and to whom these guns are being delivered to.
Missed golden opportunity so Commissioner I would have just kept quiet if I were in your boots!
F××l its a crime that is committed, the police have all rights to investigate it. Some of you Dominicans are so damn smart it’s pitiful.
idiot
We cannot fathom what could have occurred in D/ca and the magnitude of the situation if those guns were not discovered in the barrel.
This is a serious matter. It looks like this would have been a great take-down with many lives lost and some injuries. It would have caused extreme sadness in D/ca and chaos. How could our fellow people plan such a thing and to do that to their fellow people? This is the height of wickedness.
I hope the US brings them all to justice. They know who they are and must now be quaking in their shoes. Know that fellow D/cans, some of these people are your relatives, friends and those whom you know.
The first step, someone in the US, as the customs knew about the guns and that they were being shipped to D/ca. They allowed this shipment to D/ca. I suppose they knew the intention. This would be to catch those involved on both sides, in the US and in D/ca.
I am eager to know the outcome of it and that those involved will be arrested.
Big dummy small minded idiot
Stupid is as stupid does! Some people forgot that there is INTERPOL ! A lot of guys (police and non police) are now scrambling for shelter from what is on the horizon coming for them. Cover-up can only go so far, they didn’t realize that they cannot cover-up case with evidence from outside their jurisdiction. Lets us see how much U.S officials all you can give command to drop this case!
Torie That
Hmmm,eh heh
To all my friends in the upper ranks of the Police Force , “Please remove yourselves form this madness and do not let these guys force you to seat among them during meetings.
The U.S is looking. Do not get caught up in this political games.
Who are you? Why are you giving them this advice? They are police officers. They do not need you, a member of the public for your advice.
You have no right to give them this advice. Let the US conduct its investigation. The guns, etc., originated from the US. If the US is investigating, there will be no preferential treatment for anyone. They will be arrested and charged in time. This is what I like about the US and Canada as well. In this respect, they will be fair.
Patience is a virtue , and now we are seeing that things are falling into place. From day one I said that the U.S was watching to see who the Dominican Police was going to arrest so they can tie the knots from their end. But the Commissioner acted like a recruit making known to the public what he knew about a suspicious item at the port. He followed that up by sending a squad of police officers to take from the port, before the recipient could show up to claim it. Now some guns missing?
There are so many variables surrounding this saga that I could take a whole day writing about the slackest Police Commissioner we ever had. His superintendents are no better since they were all promoted through political means. This case is a big one and I know there is no way this one will be thrown under the rug like they did with Gon Emanuel fire bomb case.
I think the police thought this case was forgotten about and they were surprised when the U.S officials showed up at their doorsteps asking
Your first words “Patience is a virtue”, is exactly what I thought. I will have to use other words.
I must admit that my heart hurt for Daniel Carbon. The politicians have destroyed a once upon a time a good guy or a good guy have allowed filthy politicians to destroy him.
The US authorities gave the police a heads up about the barrels.
Tony Astaphan was on Kairi saying that the guns were imported by the opposition and thst the barrels were blue representing the UWP. Did Tony get that information from the US investigstors
What nonsense are you all talking here in the comments. The person name on the barrel cannot and would never be the one it was intended for. Are you all dumb? haha There is no way the persons would put their names on it or anyone they associate with. They would put a random name on it to pose as a distraction. Dominicans need to think logically. I mean by right go question the person name that on it but dont let that be your focus becasue you would be far from the truth. The persons may have no clue as to what is happening. Dont waste time. Dont be dumb.
The fact still remains , in the end someone had to come pick it up. So all a smart efficient Police Commanders had to do was seat in wait for them. But it seems like they did not want to expose friends and or leaders , so they think they could put this case away by preempting the discovery of the true owners. Now all of us have a front-row seat just waiting for the fall-out.
“you can fool some people some times, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” The time is soon coming when the cat will be let out of the bag!
This is very inept of the police commissioner, a cold case it will soon be. After realizing that there were guns in the barrel, why wasn’t it sealed and surveilled? the contact in Dominica , would at some point in time try to clear same ,and an arrest would then be made. These are the type of crime solving that brings respect and confidence to the police service, not destroying ganga fields and incarcerating young black males for smoking .Bob.
I agree Bob that this is very inept of the Police Commissioner. Why leave the investigation completely to the U.S???. The prudent thing to do was reseal the barrel and wait for the recipient of the barrel to come in to clear the barrel. There and then the DA police force could make an arrest. It is woeful and shameful that this tactic was not exercised from the outset.
It is a good thing those weapons were apprehended, who knows what could have happened if they would go into circulation on the streets. Now, I do not know what laws are valid and what rules and regulations are valid in Dominica regarding fire-arms, but the most dangerous proposition would be to legalize hand-weapons for self-defense, similar to laws in the US. Outrageous number of people are killed in the US, both intentionally and by accident by fire-arms, all because they are very exposed and conspicuous and easy to obtain. Dominica should simply ban owning a hand-gun and have strict regulations on like hunting-gun ownership. Many countries have similar per-capita gun ownership (Swiss, Finland, Iceland, Norway to name a few) but gun-related killings are rare due to different legal framework and different views and culture.
Thank you but we do have existing laws concerning the ownership- and use of fire arms. It is ultimately the Head of the police who decides, whether an applicant qualifies for a license, after a thorough interview. by his force.
It are not the legally held guns in Dominica that are the problem but the illegal ones, brought in clandestinely, mainly linked to the trade in drugs.
It is very strange that Carbon is leaving it to USA to arrest the sender and the receiver of the barrel.
Does not mean the sender and receiver of the barrel are now on US soil?
I need some comfaball. I smell ten Rats.
Well Done Chief! The difference between us and da is, Us kept proper records. They must have made phone calls, they will detect that as well. There are others involved so it will take a little time. Guns mixed with groceries. Look it.
They have been doing their surveillance; undercover agents. Who knows? Even in Dominica.
So theDbarrel had no name or adress to whom it was going !!
How could it be shipped with no name and address? It would not have left the US.
The arrow seems by all indications, to be pointing towards the inside.
Don’t mess will us intelligence!
O the MOO MOO is singing like a bird now ? ah ah where has he been , now I know why he has not been speaking , his English is bad, he is not articulate, he sound like a dumie, uneducated, stupid pumpus,, just to name a few, time for you to resign , he just sit in his office and get pay by the tax payers, how can you not know that the police station in Portsmouth, and marigot was falling apart with kulbua sir? you rule like skerro by remote control, all thos court cases being thrown out because your police did not write a proper report?, don’t they teach report writing at the academy? now he want the public to help investigate the rash of crime on the Island, when they report , nothing is being done , so why ask, don’t waste my time I will do what it takes to protect myself and family.
Somebody go cry… Who put cocoa in sun must be looking out for rain.
Hummmmmm………………………………………………………. I smell a rat.
Dominica police are only good at arresting people for swearing and marijuana. Normally the ammunition was found; the police should at list put in a police officer to deliver the package while leaving the customs. they were too impatient to wait. I’d be very glad if America would never find the person who is responsible because of or corrupted, incompetent police in Dominica. Those that were recruited over 20 years ago are not capable of doing better; they react like sheep after orders are given by the supreme leader who employs more and more police while the crime rate increases each year. When will the leader of the country think of giving proper training to police officers that are employed for many years instead of recruiting more? This is a failed system with a very poor economy which leads to the violence and the importation of weapons .
“at least”
The weapons come through customs. What of the customs’ staff? Are they doing their job as they should? Therefore, do not blame the government nor the police.
Wait….so you guys actually believing that??? hahahahahahahahaha. ……..The US will investigate something that has long gone cold due to the ineptness of our Police Force??? LOL. Wait for an arrest still. ,……..
Yes! Doubting Thomas. You are not smart. It could take as much as one year or more for the US to fully complete their investigation. Do you not know that?
Here in Toronto of all, when the police commence an investigation, it could even take as much as two years. In the end they arrest hundreds of people in different locations with their cache of guns, ammunition and thousands of dollars. So smarten up!!!
I am puzzled and baffled. Surely there was a cosignee name marked on the barrels and if not, most definitely on the Bill of Lading. Who is/are these consignees and why was it necessary for the U.S. authorities to come to Dominica to expedite this case. It speaks of great incompetence , or worse, when all the police had to do is to intercept the consignee or follow the person collecting the barrels to their final destination. Is someone being protected perhaps? mr. Skerrit talks about not giving the country a bad name but such incompetence can not do much for our image with the U.S. authorities. What must they think?
Did you not read the original article which DNO posted on this matter? Find it and read it. Some of you also need to brush up on your memory.
This was not what the PM was referring to. Some of you twist and turn his words and with your negativity. This news must be relayed to the people, if not the entire world for that matter. It is such that it cannot be kept quiet.
So Carbon if the U.S came down to ask for asistance to investigate curupt Skerro, would you asist??
No, cause that would help put youall in there to do the same, broke as youall are the meney will certainly get to your broke heads.
?????
So all you kissing……….. to the U.S?? SO WHATS NEXT YOU WANT TO EXTRADITE YOUR COUNTRY MAN TO THE WOLVES??
Why not?! I highly doubt that the intent of those bringing these weapons into the country was honorable. So sell them and all involved to the wolves. At least we will be safe for a little while longer, or this move by the authorities to collaborate with the US forces will serve as a deterrent to anyone with similar plans.
First of all is it a countryman or a woman? And yes, that is exactly what I would like them to do so we can restore our reputation overseas.
“The US will take a particular course of action in that, they have already instituted a course of action in that.” The Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force should hire a trained public relations professional, to write and publish official statements, on behalf of the department. Based on Carbon’s written words, he sounds totally incompetent and repetitive. If this is how he speaks, his investigative techniques leaves quite a bit to be desired. Now we know why the number of unsolved crimes on the island continue to multiply day-by-day. Carbon is incompetent to lead at all cost.
The person(s) responsible for this wanted to start a small army. An arms cache of this magnitude and sophistication could have been used to cause total mayhem in the country. These perpetrators must be caught, tried, sentenced and rot in prison. The only conceivable purpose these weapons were smuggled into the country was to cause panic, bloodletting and suffering. These rogues should not be roaming the streets among us.
If you want to own a gun go through the legal channel. The importers and exporter of these weapons had criminal intent.
Let the CHIPS fall where they may. U S don’t play games.
Police ineptitude: Why were the guns seized before the addressee came to claim the barrel. As I remember, it was said police were alerted to the presence of the guns in the barrel by U.S. authorities. Did the police not wait for the barrel pickup to arrest the individual(s) because it was someone with government connections?
No SN the addressee may have been tipped off by some crooked cop, don’t you think?
No SN the addressee may have been tipped off by some crooked cop, don\’t you think?
The reason the US did not arrest the shipper initially it’s because they wanted someone to pick up. Carbon talked about guns before the person picked it up. I don’t see how you can prove they knew it was in there unless they picked up and never report. Then dominica police could make a raid and arrest. Or, there has to be some paper trail. If carbon had evidence to arrest the folks in Dominica he would arrest them already. Don’t have to wait on US. I will say again Carbon ….. and was to excited to spill beans. This guy should not even be a copral much less for chief of police.
Very well said. Permission to copy and paste?
Granted
It is a SHAME on the police that you Shaka Zulu have to tell them how it was to be done. Of course they should allow the person to come and collect and then make an arrest.
I would not insult him and call him a retard. He is not! Everyone makes mistakes; no exception those in authority. However, it was disappointing what occurred when he knew about the guns in the barrel. He should not have divulged this information to nationals. It really should have been kept a secret. He should have waited for the addressee to pick it up. I hope he learned a lesson from that.
Only NOW
I thought the same. However, slow and stead wins the race. Furthermore we had no idea the US was investigating it. Never give up.