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Vibrant cocaine & human trafficking ring fuelling illegal guns- CoP Matthews

- calls for Gov't to maintain tough gun laws in VI
Commissioner of Police, Mr Michael B. Matthews has pointed to a vibrant cocaine smuggling trade as well as human smuggling in the Virgin Islands (VI), as fuelling illegal gun possessions. Photo: VINO/File
The Top Cop said as a result of the trafficking in persons and drug trade, the demands for guns in great given criminal networks would need protection. Photo: Internet Source
The Top Cop said as a result of the trafficking in persons and drug trade, the demands for guns in great given criminal networks would need protection. Photo: Internet Source
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Commissioner of Police, Mr Michael B. Matthews has pointed to a vibrant cocaine smuggling trade as well as human smuggling in the Virgin Islands (VI), as fuelling illegal gun possessions.

The Commissioner was at the time speaking on the topic of gun crimes during a Wednesday, October 7, 2020, edition of The Big Story with host Cathy O. Richards on JTV Channel 55.

Drugs trade vibrant in VI

Speaking on the local drugs trade, he said: “We hear the denials, saying it's not as bad as that, you know we’ve got a very vibrant cocaine smuggling trade here, we all know it, we've seized 126 kilos of cocaine in one house just two weeks ago.”

“You can’t tell me we don’t have a problem with the drugs importation or smuggling network,” CoP Matthews went on to say. 

He said, as a result, the need for guns is greater, given the criminal networks and a demand for protection.

“They have to protect their assets in their eyes, even though the assets are completely illegal… and so the drugs trade, the human trafficking trade, all of that adds to the criminals' desire to carry a firearm to protect their assets,” he said.

Gun culture & outside influence

Speaking on the Caribbean and US influence on VI young men to freely carry guns, he said the territory is indeed vulnerable to adopting the gun culture of those regional countries.

“I hope and pray the government of the Virgin Islands never weakens its gun laws here. I hope if anything, it strengthens them,” Mr Matthews said.

He added that the only way to stay safe is to completely stamp out firearms in the VI, pointing to the US Virgin Islands' high crime rate involving guns as an example of why the territory should not make firearms freely available.

19 Responses to “Vibrant cocaine & human trafficking ring fuelling illegal guns- CoP Matthews”

  • Stankonia (09/10/2020, 07:36) Like (42) Dislike (0) Reply
    I hope they increase jail time for these gun related offences too.
  • Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo (09/10/2020, 07:38) Like (19) Dislike (5) Reply
    CHIIIIIT the only problem we have is buyers! HA! KEEP ONNN PUSHING!
  • insider (09/10/2020, 08:07) Like (7) Dislike (39) Reply
    Mathews always with some story he no good
  • Drug Slave (09/10/2020, 08:27) Like (12) Dislike (38) Reply
    Cop Mathew your fore fathers was responsible for the biggest and most brutal human smuggling called slavery. Doctors use drugs on people every day but aslong its not coming from the medical field i guess its suppress in your little world of thinking in a box.
  • good man (09/10/2020, 08:35) Like (40) Dislike (2) Reply
    Honestly Mr. Mattews is a good man. He give it his best. When the police do “ they’re Harassing” when the police don’t “they’re lazy” then we have a community activist talk show host of C** D**P who just make it any easier. I never saw Mr. Mattews or any Government officials out there running illegal guys, drugs etc. why they get the blame each time? Our community biggest issues and problems are from those who finds everything wrong, say a lot but actually say nothing at all. I wish Mr. Mattews all the best. He’s good man with good intentions. Ps a video that’s started recorded 3 mins into whatever happened doesn’t tell the full story. For example we see a police slam a man on the road on tape, but we ain’t see when the same man spit in the face of the police face. We as a community need to start be honest among ourselves....
  • bars (09/10/2020, 09:22) Like (23) Dislike (12) Reply
    Close the bars you know the Spanish ones where all the human traffiking happens, go ion to buy a drink and there is a DR or Ven spanish woman grinding up on you trying to part you from your cash. Also the strip clubs that open and run in the face of the law, please close them.....so I can save money for xmas!
  • hmm (09/10/2020, 10:37) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    BVI been riding the white horse for years.
  • Really (09/10/2020, 10:50) Like (4) Dislike (31) Reply
    Micks ancestors enslaved us. Let’s not forget. Now we pay him USD 100000 plus accommodation on our shores for him to take selfies with gus and show off....

    Bigger the fools us. They laughing.... all the way to the bank....

    Wake up VI!!
  • old (09/10/2020, 10:53) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Where these guns Comming from. St Thomas or st John. Or st maarten. We need to now.
  • Reality check (09/10/2020, 11:46) Like (10) Dislike (1) Reply
    Given we are all descended from the same primordial soup of evolution your ancestors are my ancestors. It was OUR ancestors who started slavery, from the time of one group splitting into several, fighting for territory or food, enslaving the losers, diversifying the gene pool. Every indigenous peoples have enslaved others so blaming one set during a very brief period of human population is disingenuous at best, more accurately ludicrous. My forebears were enslaved and ultimately driven out of what is now Europe; undoubtedly your forebears were either enslaved or enslaved others in tribal conflicts. Neither of us know our forebears nor have any idea of what our lives would be like if history was different, so I am just thankful for what I am enjoying now!
  • WEW (09/10/2020, 12:55) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    So whats new ?
  • NAARCO State (09/10/2020, 15:11) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Do the math 126 keys @ 18K Ea. Looks like a lot of people ain’t eating no food out of this..
    • Blak Alucard (12/10/2020, 14:31) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      18? Who around these part selling for 18? You could keep that.
  • from buckingham palace (09/10/2020, 19:04) Like (9) Dislike (1) Reply
    Sometimes I try to wonder if we really care about each other, and if we really care about our families, our children and other love ones.
    The COP is telling us about reason why he suspect that a dangerous weapon like guns are coming into our country, to be used to kill our people and to be used to rob and to destroy business, but we here talking about slavery?
    Slavery was abolished long before any of us was born.
    The only slavery, we experienced physically, is from each other in society today. We called our local employs so many names associated with slavery, but is white people you want to blame for that.
    Just like how some of us dont believe in what is written in bible or other spiritual books, is the same way some of us never study readings about slavery.
    Most of the people writing are intelligent people, but to take a an interest topic of security which has to do with our safety, and turn it into by whom and why we got enslaved, is absurd.
    COP Mathew, continue doing what you doing for the BVI, because I know you didnt come to BVI to do anything bad to the people.
    You came to be the COP, and when your time is complete, you will return to the UK.
    We need to support the police in their fight against crime and violence in society. Protect your brother and sister.
  • Heckler (09/10/2020, 21:15) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply
    Third economic pillar
    • Meh here again (10/10/2020, 06:30) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply

      Yes we have the third econimic pillar already. It was being down played all the while and we knew it,but since importation on other commodities were at the lowest low, it is now burst open wide.
      Our Customs workers /Officers are sent around the place to check whats coming in these w0 and 40 feet containers do you see any Officers checking the containers the ARABS are bringing in ? Even their smaller shipments . Sometimes these same officers are delivering themselves. Is there a better place to start? Just tell me something else.. once you pay Peter to do something Paul would turn a blind eye for a portion while Harry would give the merchandice to Dick who would look for the Bill(s) while the (ac)c**(ant) keeps the check,who get caught up.

  • hmm (13/10/2020, 18:11) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    coke is great..I can drink all night and still function as a lawyer at Harneys.Well most days..defo a few bumps for lunch.


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