ﾓI suppose he may have had early information,ﾒ said Reginald Ferguson, assistant commissioner of police for crime. ﾓThatﾴs why the officers did not catch him where we expected him to be. He was able to elude us, but it wouldnﾴt be long.ﾒ
Mr. Ferguson is confident that police will find Maycock, whose son Melvin Maycock Jr., was among 12 men charged on Friday after law enforcement authorities cracked the smuggling operation that reportedly spanned several countries, including The Bahamas, Canada, Jamaica, Columbia and the United States.
Asked whether Maycock may have been tipped off by an insider, Mr. Ferguson hastily defended the integrity of officers involved in the sting operation.
ﾓOne of the things I am very proud of in so far as the Bahamian police are concerned is the fact that this matter had not been compromised,ﾒ Mr. Ferugson said. ﾓFor me, that is one of the better things that came out of this investigation.ﾒ
The 12 men are expected back in court July 29 when an extradition hearing date will be set to determine whether they will face drug related charges in the United States.
The Maycock/Smith operation was one of the major drug trafficking rings in the Caribbean, according to Mr. Ferguson.
Mr. Ferguson said he anticipates that due to cracking the operation, the country will probably see a lull in drug trafficking activities in the immediate future.
Describing the successful takedown as a two-edged sword, Mr. Ferguson said the operation could help the image of The Bahamas or further promote it as a string of islands controlled by drug barons. ﾠ
ﾓWe donﾴt want to get back to the years where we have the kind of image that makes us look like some kind of drug trafficking nation,ﾒ he said. ﾓThe interdiction could have that kind of spill over in terms of what our image looks like internationally, but I also believe that we are developing the image that thereﾴs no safe haven for drug trafficking in the Bahamian territory.ﾒ
Mr. Ferguson said he doesnﾴt consider cracking the ring to be a victory, as the struggle against drug traffickers continues. ﾠ
ﾓThe fight will continue because of the amount of money involved,ﾒ he added. ﾠﾓSome of the drug cartels have more money than budgets of nations and so people would always risk their lives and get rich.ﾒ
According to Mr. Ferguson, itﾴs not unusual for drug dealers to finance businesses as a means of legitimizing their deposits. ﾠ
He said drug dealers use numerous ﾓwashing waysﾒ to disguise dirty money, including investing in properties, building apartments, getting someone to ﾓfrontﾒ a business and holding major concerts.
ﾓBecause of the banking system today, you cannot deposit large amounts of money without it being questionedﾅwe suspect that some of these large concerts that they put on are a means of washing dirty money,ﾒ the senior police official said. ﾓThey put on these big concerts and what they rake in, they could justify it when putting it in the bank.ﾒ
Additionally, drug pushers reportedly support their local communities, a means Mr. Ferguson said interferes with law enforcement.
ﾓIt is anything but help,ﾒ he added. ﾠﾓIt is destructive. ﾠThey are inflicting hell on the community.
ﾓThey are setting themselves up as the Robin Hood in their neighborhoodsﾅonce they would have done that, (police) have trouble infiltrating an area that they control because everybody is on the look-out for the police.ﾒ
Stating that such actions are ﾓdestroying the soul of the nationﾒ, Mr. Ferguson said many persons feel obligated to shield drug dealers who influence their communities.
ﾓThat is the mindset we are developing in our young. You think theyﾴre going to be interested in education or self-development? No, they are going to be interested in making a fast buck. ﾠYou see how dangerous that becomes for our community?ﾒ
The senior police officer pointed out that there have been situations in The Bahamas where entire families are involved in the drug trade, including grandmothers.
ﾓA grandmother was actually responsible for the securing of dope,ﾒ he said. ﾠﾓThe money is enticement. ﾠIt stirs the greed.ﾒ
Mr. Ferguson added that legislation provides for the assets and proceeds of convicted drug dealers to be used for anti-drug programmes. He couldnﾴt, however, speak to what exactly would occur in the Maycock/Smith case.
He was able to say though that in a joint operation where assets may have been confiscated in another country, Attorneys General of the respective countries will address asset sharing.
Hadassah Hall, The Bahama Journal
