Customs Investigating Contraband Delivery in Peini
Chester Williams
While the police department does not have the powers of arrest where uncustomed goods are concerned, a separate investigation is being conducted by the Customs and Excise Department and additional charges are expected to be brought against all seven individuals.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“I communicated again with the comptroller of customs and due to the fact that the regulations do not give the police the authority or the powers to arrest for uncustommed goods, we have handed over that aspect of the investigation to customs and customs will be charging for the uncustommed goods. I would want to think that they would be charging the customs officer as well as the importer of the goods in respect to the uncustommed goods.”
Reporter
“Sir, were these customs officers providing this Saturday night service for a consideration?”
Chester Williams
“Well I had asked the investigator to inquire from the importer as to whether or not he had paid for the services and based on what I am told the importer is saying no, so I don’t know if there was some agreement that that would be the case, which I am almost sure that that is, and you would know that the importer himself, even if it is so, he is going to be reluctant to say so because by saying so he commits an offense as well. So at this time we don’t have any evidence to suggest what was the consideration for allowing the boat to come into the country with those goods.”
Reporter
“Were any official forms, have any of the customs officers put forth any official forms, any revenue collection receipts or anything like that?”
Chester Williams
“No, nothing at all and again, in order for a boat to come into the country on such nature, there are several things that must be done. They must get the pre-clearance from Port Authority, pre-clearance from Customs and Immigration and there is a boarding team that normally goes onboard which would be Customs and Immigration, Health, BAHA or whatever the case may be and in this particular instant the only agent that was there was customs. The other agencies were absent which means that the activity which was taking place could not be lawful.”
