The lifestyle change reportedly caused suspicion following the incident where suspected cocaine went missing.
Able Seaman K. A. Rolle wrote a letter, dated February 18, 1993, to then Commodore Leon Smith, informing him that he was conducting an investigation into an illegal drug trafficking ring onboard HMBS Inagua involving an officer and five crewmembers.
The letter reportedly suggested that the officers came into newly acquired wealth, causing suspicion.
Commissioner Stanley Moore said the letter “talks about renovation of houses. It talks about the location of the houses. It talks about purchasing vehicles. These are not wild allegations. These are factual allegations being made that cried out for investigation within your force.”
Asked how much an Acting Sub Lieutenant earned at the time, Mr. Smith was unable to say, but estimated that it was under $20,000.
Mr. Moore said, “These persons were buying up to $39,000 cars, living in improved accommodations, taking bank loans and not only that, if the bank said, ‘I want a minimum payment of $14,000’, they said ‘no, we can give you $20,000.’ That’s all in here. We’re not dreaming it up.”
The government appointed the Commission of Inquiry to investigate the events surrounding the detention of the Lorequin by HMBS Inagua in Nassau Harbour on Saturday June 20, 1992, the discovery of drugs onboard and delivery of the drugs to the Defence Force Base at Coral Harbour.
The crewmembers accompanying the Lorequin to the base have been reassigned to shore duties pending investigations, according to the former commodore.
In examining the situation and on advice of senior officers, Mr. Smith said he decided it was a matter “way beyond our [investigative] capabilities” therefore the police should handle it. He said he felt the police would have been able to do a better job.
“They had the expertise to deal outside of the base,” Mr. Smith said. “They had expertise to execute warrants. We didn’t have those capabilities. All we would have been able to do was probably get a statement from the officers and see whether or not the commanding officer made any negligence in his duty.”
Asked by Lead Counsel Dennis Morrison whether he still believes that he handled the situation appropriately, Mr. Smith said he feels he took proper action.
Mr. Smith said then Officer in Charge of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Basil Dean informed him that Defence Force officers may have taken some of the drugs that were missing.
According to Mr. Smith, Mr. Dean said the police were certain how much drugs were discovered because “we put it there”, referring to the drugs as part of a sting operation.
The former commodore admitted that he was “annoyed and angered” that he did not know about an alleged sting operation by the police.
He said Mr. Dean’s comments that “we put it there” made him think that some of his officers may have been involved in the removal.
“That’s one of the things that influenced me to allow the police to do the investigation,” Mr. Smith said.
Mr. Smith added that after a weekly press briefing with former Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling and former Police Commissioner B. K. Bonamy, on June 25, 1992, he decided to allow the police to deal with the incident.
Petty Officer L. B. Saunders wrote a letter to Mr. Smith, dated July 13, 1992, indicating that he was investigating the matter, the Commission heard.
That letter alleged a number of improprieties against the six crewmembers of the Lorequin.
After being pressed by Commissioner Moore on whether he thought an internal investigation should have still been launched after the serious allegations were made in the letter by another Intelligence Officer, Mr. Smith said, “yes.”
He said, however, that all the Defence Force would have been able to do was set up a Board of Inquiry, whereas the police would have been able to take it further.
Commissioner Archbishop Drexel Gomez asked Mr. Smith whether he was concerned that a group of officers counted 193 packages of suspected cocaine and within 24 hours there were three fewer packages.
Mr. Smith said he did. But he added what “worried” him was whether the drugs went missing on the way to the base, at the base or en route to the police drug storage house.
“I was convinced by the captain and the Intelligence Officer that no drugs were left at the base and everything was counted and signed for and left the base,” said Mr. Smith, adding that he had no reason to doubt the officer.
Hadassah Hall, The Bahama Journal
