The captain of a Venezuelan vessel intercepted by authorities in Dominican waters on Monday was sentenced to pay $5,000 or spend six months in prison for giving wrong information to police.
Angel Ramon Hernandez appeared before Magistrate Ozzie Lewis at the Roseau Magistrate Court this afternoon and pleaded guilty to the charge of knowingly giving false statements to authorities.
According to the prosecution on May 11, when the men were interrogated by authorities on the Fond Cole’ Coast Guard Base, they provided responses to authorities which was contradicted by documents found on the vessel.
The police said when Hernandez was questioned on the intended destination of the vessel, he indicated that it was Dominica, however documents revealed the boat was destined for Phillipsburg, St Marten.
The police further stated when the vessel was intercepted a crew of six accompanied the captain but documents found on the vessel indicated that the trip should have comprised of a seventh individual.
Additionally the police indicated that all of the crew members on the vessel gave different versions concerning the missing member. The captain pointed out that one man decided to stay ashore in Venezuela because he felt sick.
The other members of the crew kept at the prison cell in Roseau did not appear in court. According to authorities all will be set free once the sentence amount is paid.
Yeh right! The Venezuelans on a ‘questionable mission’ or LOST 970 miles from the coast of Venezuela & 22 from Dominica ON THEIR WAY TO SUNDAY SCHOOL,…..or better yet St.Marten… …and I am the pope.
No wonder Dominica’s streets are covered with coke & crack the police can’t seem to find.
One thing I know, if they had marijuana the police/coast guard would find it though.
Good interception job anyway!
Fink those people sort? they dun deliver their fing already, and would be picking up d cash in SM, now our young people in DA in more trouble, nuff drugs in d place, it is up to the police to look for the drugs, that is why they did not find any drugs on the boat.
Why don’t u ppl just shut da hell up. There was no drugs fund on da boat and they didn’t do anything wrong but get into our waters they have the correct to they destination so else could they charge them for u guys a just some jack a**es
takes a master one to know one right? Maybe we should hunt you and charge you too. sort
go learn english
That’s is no wonder we are seen as the joke of the drug dealers, they will continue to use Dominica as their passage way to the larger countries. Then we will reach a stage where we will not be able to enter any of the larger countries before being stripped search. Guess that’s what we are asking for right now charging the captain of a drug smuggling boat $5,000. which he made right in Dominica in 15 minutes.
$5,000. What a joke. We need stronger and enforceable laws. Then again this is just for providing wrong information. What were they doing in our waters? It is quite suspicious of these individuals. Let the punishment fit the crime. Fine and confine. We have to nip it in the bud. In this times of terrorism and international drug dealing murder and mayhem, Dominica and Dominicans must be protected. Lacklay yo.
Well- reasoned response… Venezuela has its’ boarder secure.. Ask them Trinidad Fishermen what happens to them when caught? DA secure your boarder too..
you see why i cant stand dominicans.. they cant respect ppl opinion. when a man kill and he out free , everbody shouting t,he system bad. i want to know how many of all you see when ppl kill . but u all use ur judgement and say undountedly that ppl kill. SO what is the diffence with others expressing thier opinion that the venezuelans are drug dealers so i ahve to see dem then. we know what they do. in fact why did they provide wrong information… where is the missing man.. etc.. persons use theier judgnet the same way u all do when there is murder and express themselves. all you boy.. hmmmmm
Folks the legal system in DA is going through the motions…….This is scrap and window dressing. Some body in high society is dealing with this stuff. Nice job Mr.Lewis but this is nonsense. Now sentence the parro from Gutter to six years and slap the boat captain on his risk.—-who are you fooling?
Dominica in New York, don’t make a fool of yourself, like so many others. You have absolutely no details of what transpired. If there were drugs, then there would have been a drug charge. Stop making people laugh at you all.
stay where u r and stop talking nonesense. There is always a way to punish our unemplyed guys in da. shoot them and throw them in prison. The police are doing their job, but do not get too far. The drugs was already delivered
Is this the kind os slapping on the risk punishment we give to these drug criminals from venezeula, LORD HELP US ALL
zey zey, did they get drugs?? So all Dominicans going to Gwada by the back door are drug dealers??
Think before you type, best be thought of as a fool than type and remove all doubt!!!!!
that question mark souplay souplay mwe ka vetiw.. u are a zezerest… of course its drugs.. dominican in new york is rite… so becus they did not find it.. and what hapeen to the missing memeber. hell no its not back door story dat.. dat is drugs but there dsay aint come.. doh woory
AS*—- did they ever tell you he had drugs. the charge was providing false information to the police. Did you hear how much he was charged? Compare that to the Belle Vie man who did the same some weeks ago. think before you guys write.
what chavez going to say
well…Skerrit will apologise noo!!!!
look jokes is that 2 1/2 men? Chavez and Skerrit? which one is charlie? is it the one begnining with C?? LMAO. This drug issueson the island are larger than we will ever know.They can be extremely well organized to cover the main people responsible. remember Noreiga the general from Panama? was the king of Panama where is he now? Not too son we will see Papa C going to jail too like Noreiga( NOT PAPA c-BY THE RIVER SIDE) he died many many moons ago. So if papa -C is taken down anytime soon( look at Osma- how quick and simple he went down and out to sea)We are still at sea are we not both literally andinmetaphoric speech as to who run the cartel in DA. I hope it does not turn out to be a Noreiga- that would be sad for us.But as you know the corrupt begin with small things and then graduate real big in short spaces of time and place. they often move from kindergarden to Phd level in s little as 5 yrs & enjoy planet power. The warning for them reads: There is no air, laughter, loyalty or love in that business.