US$2M UNDER THE GUN

The US$2 million is secured in a steel vault inside the building.

Newsday was told that IATF officers are on guard both inside and outside the building while there is also a 360-degree, aerial closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance of the building. The decision to have armed officers guard the money came after information surfaced that an attempt was to be made to storm the building and remove the cash by any means.

Based on the information, senior police took a decision to dispatch officers of the IATF who carry out round-the-clock security to the building in four-hour shifts.

Armed Customs and Excise officers are also inside the building at all times. Newsday was told by Customs sources that a plot was uncovered of an assault on the building with the use of hand grenades and machineguns. “We learned of a plot in which persons were ready to take control of the impounded money by any means including the use of deadly force,” a well-placed source said.

Sources added that there was consideration for the money to be split into smaller quantities and kept under lock and key and also police guns at different locations within National Security facilities but this was scrapped in favour of all of the money being kept at the Customs and Excise Building but under heavier security.

“The cash is literally under the gun of law enforcement, now that the plot has been uncovered,” our source said.

It is understood that officers of the US Customs and Border Protection are working behind the scenes with local police, Customs and officers of the Financial Intelligence Unit to trace the origin of the US$2M. It is believed that the money may have originated from the US Virgin Islands. Several persons have been questioned but were later released. Police have also seized a quantity of bogus documents used to ‘clear’ the container when it arrived at the port.

“The person who lost this money is not taking this loss just so and we are wondering what number could play as we remain almost certain that some attempt will be made to retrieve it,” a Customs source told Newsday yesterday. On November 4, the money was discovered hidden in the container at the Central Port. The cargo containing the money arrived on November 2, aboard a container carrier.

Newsday understands that the container with cash originated in the US Virgin Island then moved to Jamaica and then parts of the Caribbean before arriving in this country. It is also believed that a similar container arrived in the country with the same amount of cash and was cleared by officers who did not detect that the documents used were bogus. Newsday understands that Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley in his capacity as Chairman of the National Security Council, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon and Finance Minister Colm Imbert are all being kept abreast of investigations into the find.