Cops know ‘Mr Big’

A Mister Big, a powerful drug lord with money, illicit goods, guns and known to the police, is the frightening description by La Romaine villagers of the man they say is behind the transformation of their area into a major crime hot spot.

The residents know the man by seeing him. They know his name, and they express fear that the crime situation in their area will never be resolved because the police is a part of the problem.

“The war in La Romaine will not stop, until they kill who they really want to kill,” one family in the know says. “We know that means that everyone who have a corner (drug block) will die because this drug lord (name called), an outsider, want La Romaine turf real bad.” This is how the frustrated La Romaine family summed up the state of the troubled community that is situated on the outskirts of the city of San Fernando and where gun violence threatens their very existence.

The drug war is getting out of hand and within recent times, there has been a number of shootings and wounding in the community culminating in the death of nine-year-old Cyon Paul on the night of August 5, while on his way to purchase hot dogs.

The youngster’s death has since triggered the re-introduction of a police mobile unit near one of the “hot spots” but residents told Sunday Newsday they have very little faith in the success of the project since they believe police officers are part of the problem.

They believe it is the reason crime has escalated and went on to accuse certain officers of knowing the main players in the drug and gun trade yet failing to act to the point where they have taken a hands-off approach to the matter.

Sunday Newsday was told: “This drug lord (name called) come into La Romaine from Mt Moriah Road (San Fernando) and want total control of turf but the man who now in control of those drug blocks will have none of it.

Our community is already dealing with a thriving drug trade but the man in charge down here has everything in an order. Yes, the drug pushers doing their thing on the corner — people shooting up at one another and it is being dealt with internally. Since (name called) come in here one year ago, the situation get worse. He is a big time drug lord with money.

He has drugs, he has guns, he has connections, he has power and that is what is causing the war in La Romaine. Do you know is babies he have carrying around sophisticated weapons that now have La Romaine under siege?” High powered weapons are a familiar sight in La Romaine.

The recruits in the drug lord’s army have been identified as secondary school dropouts between the ages of 15 and 20 years, and whose mothers, in most cases, single parents, are aware of what their sons are involved in. The money the youngsters earn selling drugs and shooting at persons helps put food on the table. The La Romaine villager contended, “That is why the mothers don’t speak. Their sons will bring home a chicken to cook. The boys will get clothes and food and all they have to do is carry a gun and sell drugs for him. The young boys worship him like a god because of what he offers and they don’t know any better.” The “immigrant” drug lord is described as a very simple man who does not flash his wealth. He is said to have set up and financed a number of small businesses including hair and nail salons in San Fernando and environs, and is currently engaged in setting up a car-wash for an ex-convict. He does not live in La Romaine and only conducts business there. One woman urged mothers like herself to speak out and not encourage their sons in crime.

“You see a lot of them on television speaking and crying but they know everything and are also deeply involved,” said the woman.

Charles Street, La Romaine has been identified as one of the most notorious streets in the community.

In the middle of the street stands a Spiritual Baptist church which Sunday Newsday was told has made no difference in the lives of young men and women living in and around the area. Sunday Newsday learnt that at one time the simple church itself came under attack and worshippers were afraid to attend services. It is a church where the families of many of the gunmen worship at times.

But it is not only Charles Street that is a drug and gun haven.

Neighbouring streets such as George Street, Church Street, Pemberton Street and Byron Street were also identified. Other streets have similar activities, but not as bad, Sunday Newsday was further told.

But the turf war has a history and it reportedly took off a year ago when the rival drug lord came in the picture in La Romaine.

While a number of shootings were recorded in the area, residents said it got worse a couple months ago when a young man was murdered.

One of them explained: “He sold drugs for the San Fernando drug lord and he walked around with a gun. His close relatives knew everything. He ran afoul of his boss and so he sent his men for him when he sold his drugs and refused to pay. After warning him, he paid some in counterfeit money.

He never knew his boss was so dread. One evening, they came for him with automatic weapons — they riddled his body with bullets, they burst him up so bad that they had to scrape up pieces of his body from the ground.” Sunday Newsday was further told that the dead young man used to sit in front the Baptist church armed with his gun and terrorise persons wanting to enter the church yard.

“He like all the others didn’t even have the fear of God in him,” residents said. “He used to shoot up persons’ homes when they told him of his behaviour. He intimidated a lot of people.” The indiscriminate shooting has caused collateral damage with innocent persons being caught in the middle like the little boy.

“That night, Cyon was killed accidentally,” a villager related, “A member of one rival gang was shooting against a member of another rival gang in a bar and the child was in the road. Persons from the bar were running out of the way, no one tried to save the child as they were trying to save themselves.” The young boys are usually armed with high powered weapons and instil fear in the residents who have watched them grow in the area. They describe them as very disrespectful saying that no one can speak to them about their ways.The “almighty dollar” continues to create war among families, neighbours and friends as the lawless among them fight for piece of the pie.

Meantime police officers of the southern division continue to recover arms and ammunition in the La Romaine area and up to Wednesday a .38 revolver and two rounds of ammunition along with a half kilo of marijuana were recovered during a police exercise.

Last week six persons were detained for questioning and a 40-year-old man subsequently charged with six gun-related crimes. One senior officer, in confirming to Sunday Newsday that the spike in crime is linked to a control of drug turf, said the main players in the game are known to them and said one of them was recently detained but was released as there was no evidence to lay any charge.

“We know them and we will weaken them,” he said. “We are going after them. The drug blocks in La Romaine are very lucrative and that is why there is a fight for turf. “Unlike residents, the police are confident that the crime situation will be brought under control with the setting up of the mobile unit.

“We have to, we have no other choice,” officers told Sunday Newsday.

Within the last week, a number of homes and abandoned lots in La Romaine have been searched and several persons detained on enquiries. The police promised that it will continue until the area settles down.