Venezuelans remanded at State Prison

Nine Venezuelans have been remanded at the Dominica State Prison for drug and customs-related offenses after they were apprehended in a boat near Roseau last week.

Chief Prosecutor and Police Public Relations Inspector, Claude Weekes, the men appeared at the Roseau Magistrate’s Court on Thursday and were read their charges. Weeks declined however to disclose the specifics of the charges, such as the type of drug and the quantity.

“It was a combined effort between the police and the customs having intercepted a boat with nine Venezuelans outside of Roseau within our territorial waters,” Weekes said.

Weekes added that the men had attempted to escape upon realizing that the police were unto them.

“Two of the engines of the boat in question had to be disabled to minimize their escape because when they recognized the police… they were on their way. So the police coast guard… pursued,” Weekes said.

The defendants will remain in police custody until their trial on the matter at the end of the month.

Dominica News Online will continue to give details on the matter as soon as it becomes available.

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39 Comments

  1. BLUE U
    December 31, 2011

    WHERE DEM PIRATES TO LUCK DOWN OUR WATER AND TAKE DEM 4 EVERY TING.

  2. Anonymous
    May 16, 2011

    My name is Jesus Enez I am from Margarita Island Venezuela. The Venezuelan fishing boat captured by The Dominica Coat Guard was not a ghost vessel that suddenly appears in Dominica waters.The real reason for this trip was to deliver about two tons of fresh on ice fish to the city of Portsmouth (as far as I know still Dominica territory) at this place a French registered boat was expecting the fish load to “legally” perform what is called a in bond transshipment operation. The service of a well known marine agent at Portsmouth was hired full documents for both boats the Venezuelan and the French were send and the proper early notification was done. Finally the results for all this was four days of terror with for six innocent people with no food handled like the worse criminals. This was the way the authorities of Dominica welcomes the citizen of the country who built for free their main airport and also offers petrol nearly for free for next 200 years.

    • SANTUS
      December 29, 2011

      why dont u shut up and stop ur reproach. do u think bcuz of that you can just pass ur a in dominica with ur drugs?????????? pendou

  3. Jonny
    July 18, 2010

    Allez. Good job on them. I agree with the cops. Half the drug crime in Dominica is because of those venesualian bastards. Sadly …. pm skerrit will let them go… Why does he have a multi milliion.. home in da and …. when Dominicans like him have to live in basic prefab homes. Where there’s justice. Injustice will be round the corner. Well done coppers!!

  4. syborg55
    January 21, 2010

    My people,a bunch of whining misguided ignoramouses,if you guys have nothing positive to say…SHUTTT your faces and let the Police do their jobs…As bias as they can some times be,they are still our law enforcement officers…BACK OFF THE DAPD.

  5. memoire poul
    January 19, 2010

    i understand mr alleyne is representing them.can someone verify? i hope if a local is caught, mr weeks will not disclose any information abut the details.

  6. Homeboy
    January 19, 2010

    I was not aware that Venezuelans were caught! Represented by an Ambassador and released ! W T F!

    Somebody send the name of that ambassador to me . [email protected] Like someone said send them to Possy for the magistrate their.

  7. LCM
    January 18, 2010

    We may need to take a page from our dear friend the chineese. Remeber what they did to the Englishman for trying to smuggle drugs in China about a month ago. Louis XVI

  8. Mary
    January 18, 2010

    As always they will use their own money to pay for the charges and they will be on their way.

  9. Antoine
    January 18, 2010

    That is just for show just as the other times they were caught with millions of dollars they will be given thier money their boat and gas so they can go back to venezuela our relationship with venezuela is more important than the crimes they commiting so we wont prosecute them trust me i know i use to interpret for the force when i use to be a police so i know at i am talking about

  10. January 17, 2010

    Bon! Those criminals that are having our youths getting parro in Dominica.

    Good work by the Cops, but sadly they might be wasting their time due to corrupt politicians and court system.

  11. SHUFFLE
    January 17, 2010

    dominicans some of u are so negative if the police do good u cretized if they do bad u critized if they dont do a thing u still cretized .its a shame . tks to the police for the job they are doing .while some of them are lazy and corrupt there are those who do their best.and even some of u no the corrupt ones but u wont call them out. da is ours lets take care of her. help the popo to do a better job theres no need to cretisize if u are not willing to help. the persons that bring in drughs to da dont just bring them and look or persons to sell to their contact are dominicans who have contacted them to bring it in .just as those who live da to go out and sell drugs have their contacts to which they take their drugs.finaly lets not play politicks with this one and make statements as i have read about .like its not because they give money to us . the gov of venezula did not send they to dis drugs just as the gov of da dont send persons out to deal drugs

  12. memoire poul
    January 17, 2010

    it really irks me when i hear the cops talk about the drug prblem in da. its the plebs who always get the blame.its abou time some centurions pay for the destruction of the da comunity

  13. memoire poul
    January 17, 2010

    hello folks.the ambassador to venezuella has not heard the news.police will not divulge the amount seized for obvious reasons.this should be the plan of attack. all dominicans in roseau etc should attend the court hearing on this issue.Q95 and that new organization headed by raphael should use this incident as an objective. u non aggressive organizations.hers your chance to start debar.this will cost you.PATRIOT.

  14. helpless
    January 17, 2010

    so why weeks cannot say what they were caught with and whats their charges the police did a job for them selves not for for the country cause is they that benefittying in whatever they caught

  15. Kurt
    January 17, 2010

    Its good to see our officers of the law doing the job that they are suppose too. I do hope that they get the full punishment for their crimes.

  16. January 17, 2010

    Well I am proud to see news like this. The Coast Guard officers are doing a GREAT JOB and I hope they keep up their good work, and not be discouraged by those officials in high places which will press dem cause an incident like this could possibly mess up our relationship with Venezuela. I am 100% for the Coast Guard!!!

  17. citizen
    January 17, 2010

    is not because they giving us money to think they can just come and lahkay their drugs in our country.they do their crime let them pay their time.

  18. yes i
    January 17, 2010

    Hope that they do not go free again.If this trend continues, our country and especially the young ones will be spoilt and corrupted from the embryonic stage..GOOD JOB GUYS!

  19. observer
    January 17, 2010

    just you wait and see, some heads will roll for this arrest. Many people in authority will not be pleased. This is a job well done, but will not get the praise it deserves.

  20. Karkabeff
    January 17, 2010

    Job well done officers. We all know that policing is one of the thankless professions but your hard work is a glaring example of why we still have the best and most honest police forces in the caribbean. Some may disagree because they have not left our shores or plain out anti-police

    Now take them up to posse for Tyani so they can blessed with a hefty sentence. Hopefully, I say hopefully this time the politicians will not intervene and set them free with all their cash. After al, it happened the last time. In addition, I hope if they go before the chief magistrate that seems to be so cozy with criminals they will get an even bigger sentence this time. Remember, law and order must be maintained at all cost…….

  21. Trevor Johnson
    January 17, 2010

    Good job? Dominicans have memoire poule oui garcon. A few years ago Venezuelans were caught in our waters and Dominica’s Ambassador to Venezuela at the time represented them at the time. They were quickly released and their boat and cash were handed back to them. Let’s wait and see what happens this time!

    I find it very strange that the prosecutor did not disclose the specifics of the charges? Very very strange!

  22. Domlucian
    January 17, 2010

    Lets hope they don’t walk free!!! The magistrates in Dominica need something to wake them up!! The same criminals they make walk free should come back and haunt their lives!!

  23. Jon Doe
    January 17, 2010

    I think this is a very good job by the customs and police and I congratulate them. I just hope that our ties with Venezuela doesn’t allow these crimininals to get away. We need to get drugs out of our country.

  24. yes i
    January 17, 2010

    Since we got in ties with venezuala all that crap happening, however its just a matter of days u all gonna hear that they gave the venezualans back their boat and send them back!!!!! Until they return again, read between the line. Chavez incharge

  25. AGAIN
    January 17, 2010

    THE VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR GONNA JUMP IN AND REPRESENT THEM AGAIN ,SHE GONNA GET THEM OFF THE HOOK AGAIN!!!

    REMEMBER I SAID THAT OK , THEY GONNA WALK ENCORE!!!

  26. January 16, 2010

    Good job guys. but u all know who is the leader soon they will be back in venezuela free of charge but if is Dominicans u know what next

  27. chemist
    January 16, 2010

    Well done!! But let’s just hope that they are not set free and given back their boats. That was what happen 2 years ago…. 2008 right around Christmas time if i remember right.

  28. Observer
    January 16, 2010

    Well everyone knows that Venezuela is one of the countries involved in the trans shipment of illegal drugs to the US Mainland. The question is, which other Caribbean countries are involved with them in this venture?

  29. teresa james
    January 16, 2010

    Very impressed. Keep up the good work.

  30. All Seeing Eye
    January 16, 2010

    So far so good, but the job will not be complete until the appropriate punishment is handed down and without unseen influences!!

    And you can be sure that this is only the tip of the iceberg that has of recent been eroding Dominican youth and the moral fibre of the Island. It is almost common knowledge that Venezuelans have been smuggling guns and drugs in diplomatic bags, cough cough!!

    Yes that’s right, but it seems that this bit of intelligence has only trickled through to the mere mortals on the street and not to the police or government…… I wonder why, and whose hands are being greased?

  31. release!
    January 16, 2010

    Does anybody remember Venezuelans being caught, boat confiscated and money as well only to be represent by……………………………..and released, sent on their merry way. I hope there is no repeat of this incident. It would be really um…………….what’s the word i’m looking for…………………….yes, got it…..criminal.
    Good job CDPF.

  32. Smurfy
    January 16, 2010

    Guys, just want you to know that I am so proud of you. Even with so limited resources and little to motivate you I admire your ability to motivate yourself and to continue giving the Dominican public the kind of service it deserves. Great job and continue to show that you’re the finest in the Caribbean.
    Guidance from your brothers in Bermuda.

  33. W. Wansborough
    January 16, 2010

    If these alleged drug traffickers are found guilty, please judges and legal persons, come down on them hard. They should not see the light of day even after 50 years. Please don’t let them out in a few years so they can resume their ‘career’.

    Drug abuse can destroy Dominica. We in Dominica have a chance to prevent the rot from taking hold.

    Please take that chance.

  34. WildIndie
    January 16, 2010

    well what allu expect nah, you dunno is Cocaine that comes from South America i.e venezuela?

  35. Prophet2
    January 16, 2010

    Some Caribbean governments have accused Venezuela of not pulling it’s weight when it comes to drug trafficking. It’s as though the Venezuelan authorities just turn a blind eye, so much corruption down there anyway.

  36. steve
    January 16, 2010

    good job guys

  37. SOONER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    January 16, 2010

    CAN THE P.R.O OF OUR POLICE FORCE COME OUT AND TELL THE DOMINICAN PUBLIC THE TYPE OF DRUGS CONFISCATED AND THE QUANTITY AND STREET VALUE OF THE DRUGS CONFISCATED. WHAT IS HE AFRAID OF.

  38. legit
    January 16, 2010

    kool..!!.good jobs guys ..risky though however the benefit is great

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