Law enforcement agencies here will continue to clamp down on alleged money laundering activities despite who is identified as a person of interest.
This commitment has come from Police Public Relations Officer Inspector Claude Weekes, who told Dominica News Online that countries worldwide are concerned with money laundering and cybercrimes.
Last Thursday, Jowani Gage, 25, of Shawford Estate and 33-year-old Edgar Peltier of Point Michel were arrested and charged for money laundering, while the Financial Intelligence Unit launched a search on Friday into the Fond Cole’ property of a prominent businessman as part of an anti-money laundering operation.
When DNO contacted the FIU office, one official said investigations were ongoing into the matter; therefore, he could not give any details.
Inspector Weekes recognized that although these sorts of white-collar crimes may not be as frequent here, things are happening around the world and the local police force has to fall in line as well.
“Nobody is above the law and we’ll do what we have to do… It’s an offense and if the laws are there saying that it’s wrong to embark on money laundering and transnational crime then law enforcement agencies have a part to play. All of that is in a view to ensuring the safety and the security of the country and its citizenry,” Weekes stated.
He dismissed the perception that the police are afraid to investigate people in high places, but only target the “little man”.
“The public has consistently said that the police fail to investigate people who apparently are the “big guns” in society [and] it’s not only in this case the police and other investigative agencies are doing what they have to do and whether it’s the big man or the small man the police has a right to investigate if they flaunt the law,” the police PRO noted.
The police would also appreciate more cooperation in related investigations, rather than the usual talk, according to Weekes.
“If people are aware that there are people tied to white collar crimes it means they too must bring the information. It’s one thing to say [people in high places] are involved in crime, but if you say that the court is interested in evidence and not public opinion … the court of public opinion is not likely admissible in the court of law. Given the resources that the police and other law enforcement agencies have in Dominica I think that we are committed to investigating these matters within the parameter of the law,” Weekes said.
jah will crail all ah u 4 dem shit dre allu doing dem grudgerzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz especially chief voler
i always ave ur bck me n my man u should knw who dis jah watches over u n u will over come dat and all dem haterzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. b cuz dem cannot afford HUMMER dem jus hating dem need to grow out of dat shit. d world is a cycle n dem must remember dat
well well well
As it is said 99 days for the thief one day for the police
we have a lot more to see and hear
Some man going to vanish while others will remain silent hoping some peoples never call their names
Oh well this things is going to smell
Man when i herd the news,i said “yes that the next level”.our police and the port custom doing their work now.bath estate fellars tune parow…… them boyzzz got bikes….some high school boys that have how much cxc washing cars and jeep. for THE PRINCE IN BATH ESTATE… they catch them.right now is the fete in blue blue city.we want a free festival in blue blue city.
I can smell coke’s i the air.the jamiacan lord they catch..i smell the say for estate,the police thank you all so much.copr george .L of the fiu .you need to be and inspector.you will bethe youngest in the police force.
@hmmmm: ‘
where is this coming from fool? What is your point? stop trying to create some bogus story that does not exist at all. So did u give the opposition party money to campaing? When will u fools stop putting politics in every living thing?
if they investigating them all the other men that have how much stuff and they not working and have big house and rides invetigate them to. don’t jump on those guys alone.jump on one jump on all.
JUST LIKE THE DISFUNCTIONAL INTEGRITY COMMISSION THAT IS JUST ANOTHER EMPTY PROMISE.THE POLICE IS UNFORTUNATELY TIED TO THE GOVERNMENT AND VERFY OFTEN THE MONEY LAUNDERERS , DRUG DEALERS (NOT 50 CENTS DEALERS THOUGH) ARE ALSO VERY OFTEN ALIGNED WITH THE POLITICIANS AND THE POLICE.IT IS A MARRIAGE OF CONVINIENCE..
MY QUESTION WHEN ARE THE POLITICIANS GOING TO DECLARE THEIR ASSETS AS PROMISED OR STIPULATED BY THE INTEGRITY COMMISSSION. IF THAT HAPPENS IT WOULD MAKE THE JOB OF THE INVESTIGATORS MUCH EASIER- SUPPOSEDLY. NO EVIDENCE WOULD BE REQUIRED. POLITICIAN SALARY DOES NOT MATCH THE RICHES THEY AQUIRED BOOM RED FLAG 0R SHOULD I SAY LILAC FLAG.
WHAT IS GOOD FOR THE GOOSE SHOULD BE AIGHT FOR THE GANDER.UNTIL I SEE A COUPLE OF POLITICIANS GO TO JAIL FOR PROSTITUTION OF OUR COUNTRY ONLY THEN I WILL BELIEVE THAT THE SYSTEM WORKS .UNTIL THEN I REMAIN DOUBTFUL AND UNRELIANT OF THE POLICE. .
As an ex cop, I commend the brave personnel of the CDPF. However, part of what made me leave the force was that my “third” eye had been opened. In every law enforcement org. through out the World, there are well intended, but almost niave officers and agents who have no clue what’s really going on (what the real agenda is). You want to know what’s really going on? Hint: look into pyramidial chain of command.
According to a script from an old movie, “This thing is bigger than Nino Brown.This is big business.”
@hmmmm
well said…
@hmmmm: fool
There will always be some people who are just anti police, imagine society without law and order being enforced? In every organization there are people who are honest and thoese who are not, but the job must be done. My fellow Dominicans let the Police do their job and let a court of law decides…….
i don’t have any problem in you doing your job but to investigate but it starts from the BIGMAN TO THE LITTLEMAN.any always the littleman get punish and the bigman gets away.FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.
Very interesting…small minded people
What about the politicians that became millionares overnight. Invetigate that too.
So why all of you people just babbling about corrupt Police Officers and none of you can come forward with any sort of evidence to substantiate your claims. If you have evidence that Police is involved in criminal activities then find some one in authority and tell them what all you know, otherwise all of your claims are just a phantom or may I say a grudge. Blah, blah, blah for nothing………..
Is it that our people have gotten too greedy? Seems like the need for material wealth is on the rise. Let’s not envy others wealth becomes it comes with a cost. As we say “Don’t forget where you came from”
I have no dificulties with the police doing their jobs. What the authorities needs to do is give the FIU the man power, and the tool to effectively carry out their functions. They know all who is involved, lets apply the law across the board not only on the little fish.
The so called businessmn near the port have links with CEO and those big boys upstairs, don’t expect anything to come out of that. The US I want to lay dere hands on dem, dnt worry time will tell.
People lets turn back the hands of time and remember the … woman’s daughter that was caught with the drugs in you know where …….and still obtained a clean police record.What have happened to that case? Why haven’t any of the cops (including the mother)brought to justice for this act? Satan cannot correct sin.
Thumbs up to you Mr. Weeks. You profess to be a god fearing man, so pray hard and say some prayers for your fellow officers as well as they embark upon this venture. Hope justice is revealed fairly in this one.
I want to hear all dem police dat involved names called because ” a jai of dem in it!!!!!!!”
SIR, ( POLICE P R O), ITS YOU DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC ON SUCH MATTERS LIKE YOU DID… EVEN IF YOU LIVE IN A GLASS HOUSE AND DO NOT WISH TO THROW STONES….. YOU HAVE DEFENDED YOURSELF.
ALL THE BEST WITH THE INVESTIGATION….BUT REMEMBER” CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME.”
johwani you will pull through this i hav your back 100%
If law enforcement have to go into investigating money laundering in D/a even …will loose his house and what else he ‘s got.This is going to be a loosing battle police cannot win this one.Law enfocement have to do inhouse cleaning first before they can be effective within the plubic.Until the attorney General start investigating Police and their conduct all that talk about investigating this and that is just hogwash.Looks good on DNO and other news agencies but it’s all HOGWASH i say,HOGWASH!!!!
Tell the PRO he talking non-sense, I’ve never heard of anybody in high places being arrested and questioned at no time, the big papa’s have been, but not anybody in high places, there’s a difference between the two.
Let me say that if Gage & Peltier have been charged for money laundering alomst 90% of the Dominican Community have to be arrested. Cause the money laundering you cops are referring to is property acquired without taking a loan(dry cash). There are so many people who build houses, buy motor vehicles & some sort of property without going to the bank. I bet u! the whole police force may have some property which they have bought dry cash. So u all should be behind bars as well.There is more corruption in the police force than on the streets.The big guns are right in the force. So Mr. weekes you should begin investigating your team before the streets.And i love your words”No man is above the law.” So tell me why do you guys think that u are above the law and treat humans like animals?
the police pffices are well involved in the illegal activities, WHY? because is money ,they know the guys, but they get paid under the table , look out mr weekes come down on them shake them up ,some of them own big boats,five cars land for so ,houses and so forth , where is that money coming from they have not done a stroke , i mean work any place , and here again the community have movay manyer,.now is the time to investigate, all over DA deal with the police first because they too are deeply involved .want ot take over some villages like they are the ones in CHARGE,yet still some of them are illiterate.HA ha ha !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
another thing i noticed.. the people being investigated, searched and arrested are all people who were very close supporters of the party in govenment… it makes you wonder where did the 22million for the election campaign came from????
Mr. Weekes, if you could apply these same sentiments to your internal police department and other law enforcement agancies ,then all would be fair. But it is blatantly obvious that many of your fellow officers are abusing the law to suit their own needs. You can’t preach equal rights and justice when in fact you show favoritism to your fellow men when they are the ones under the investigation.you all uaually find a smooth way to make their cases dissappear, and evidence lost when the time comes for trial! have we dominicans forgotten about the huge sums of money that went missing in marigot customs? I want to know what is the consensus of that case pls! Where is the money that was sized from the venezuelans boat some time a back? hmm? enlighten us pls.! Mr. weekes it’s all well and good that the plice force is trying to clean up crime in dominia, we applaude your efforts, but pls. make sure that your dept is squeaky clean before venturing on your campaign!!
lets bet those guys walk away freely because this so called prominent buiness man is involved ,anyone want to bet
@Rasta: Get a life.get that monkey off your back and stop hateing.
so dno what about the one down on the port with the agency…. we want the info on that… or is the info coming from that one…
I only wish they could investigate and do it right.the cops who are trying to hunt down the so called dirty money people are just trying to humiliate hard working poor people who have found some form of success through blood,sweat and tears.The hurting thing is that there is unsolved murders in Dominica that these same professional cops have put under the table and now moved to the next level of getting dirty money.It is a sad day in Dominica for the unknown man who is working hard to be known in this time of development in D.a.Got no problem with cops but is time they get off the backs of the small man who is trying to move forward in life.
thumbs up to the police. let’s applaud the police for work well done. officers be very careful when executing your duties, be strong and pray together before going out. thumbs up and be good. job well done brothers!
Observer, I agree with you 100% … They need to get polie from other Caribbean countries to full the force on Dominica that way they do not have family members that are police officers hiding the crimes of their brothers, sisters and cousins etc..
The next Police Chief should be a chinese at least that way we know there will be no favouritism.
THEY HAVE A RIGHT BUT DO THEY APPLY IT TO EVERYBODY
Last i observed Mr. Gage and Mr. Peltier are still small fish in our society. I agree that they have been involved in shady dealings but by now means are they any big fish. When the police finally get some big fish then they can actually talk
The P.R.O is doing what he is paid to do,TALK aka parlay.I hope that he also hear that members of his team are also involve.why clean someone yard and yours so dirty.continue 2 talk.
They need to start with the female police officers and go from there. See how much of the drugs are missing especially the ones that have husbands in law enforcement jobs. No name calling but the investigation needs to start on the inside of the Dominica Police Force.
@Observer: Why u attacking the man for? If you know something we don’t then go the police. Sheez is the same thing the man talking about. Allu just like to talk- court of public opinion and when it’s time to speak up y’all mute as the deaf.
This is so true Mr. Weekes and I hope the entire police force shares the same sentiment.
Mr Weekes you are not speaking the truth, let’s wait and see how this one goes down.