Suspected Trinidadian hitman deported

Two weeks ago, law enforcement authorities detained and deported a Trinidadian national whom they suspected was a hitman and had come here to do a job.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said last week during a press conference that the deported man was tracked by police and he was sent back to Trinidad after police intelligence pointed to something sinister.

He said when the man was picked up he had nothing illegal on him, but he was sent back anyway.

“It turned out when they checked with Trinidad, they sent him back into the arms of the constabulary in Trinidad; he had a list and he had about three or so warrants out against him,” said Gonsalves, who said that intelligence suggests that persons come from outside of SVG to carry out criminal activities.

The Prime Minister went back to Thursday, May 21, 2009 when Asborn Devon Nickie, a 20-year-old resident of Vermont, his friend Brezen Frederick, 23, also of Vermont, and 29-year-old Dwayne O’Brian Herbert of Chalky Mount, St Andrew, Barbados were shot and killed during an operation of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force at Vermont.

Gonsalves said that O’Brian, wanted in his homeland for murder, had come to these shores to carry out illegal activities, in that case to deal with marijuana.

“These guys will deal with anything, they would carry out any operation, because it’s a life of crime he is dealing with.”

Gonsalves, Minister of National Security, said the recently deported Trinidadian should have been picked up under the Advance Passenger Information Systems (APIS) and should not have been allowed into the country.

He said at times, some people are below the radar and don’t get into the APIS system, but immigration, customs and police sometimes prevent suspicious persons from entering the country and people complain.

In relation to the recent deportation, the Prime Minister said that people may observe, while he is not making any connection, that not too long after the Trinidadian was deported, a shooting took place, not necessarily by persons outside.

Gonsalves was perhaps referring to the worst mass shooting in Vincentian history, which took place on Saturday, October 14, at around 9 p.m. at the Road Side Bar in Diamond.

Gregory “Woody” Abraham lost his life in that incident and was one of eight persons shot.

Gonsalves said at times he cannot speak extensively on certain incidents, as it is not always prudent, but the police and security forces are alive and hard at work on a number of the issues relating to crime.(LC)