US praises FIU efforts in Que Pasa’s conviction

The recent conviction of Anthony ‘Que Pasa’ Gellizeau has come in for high commendations by officials at the United States Embassy in Barbados.{{more}}

“That’s the kind of success that to me, speaks of the great effort, perseverance and patience, in the face of many challenges,” Christopher Sandrolini, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados said.

Sandrolini, speaking at the opening ceremony of the Regional Security System’s (RSS) meeting of Heads last Friday, March 23, praised the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) for the dedicated work put in, to come up with a conviction.

“I salute all that was involved. That’s the kind of focus and dedication that is required across the region and the kind of cooperation required,” Sandrolini explained.

“It takes a long time and in this case, years. That means that there has to be commitment on the part of the entities and the government to press forward,” he continued.

According to Sandrolini, this was the type of dedication that is needed in dealing with the issue of drug trafficking.

“Drug traffickers have a lot of money and they will subvert any rules or evade laws that they need to,” the US official contended.

According to Sandrolini, it was necessary for officials at all levels to communicate.

“Everybody needs to talk to everybody else,” he said.

Rivalries between agencies and or countries should not exist, because that was exactly what criminals exploited, he explained.

Gellizeau was found guilty in the largest money laundering cases in the OECS on March 9, 2012, along with Bermudian national Winston Robinson.

He was found guilty of concealing US$1,733,463 (EC$4,628,346) on board the vessel ‘Jotobin’ on April 15, 2008 at Calliaqua, which in whole or in part represented proceeds from criminal conduct.(DD)