THE DRUG TRADE & CRIMINAL ACTIVITY
The drug trade and criminal activity
Thursday, February 27 2014
THE drug trade is a scourge that has been driving criminal activity in Trinidad and Tobago for several years now; it has infiltrated every stratum of society and almost every type of criminal activity.
It is a significant aspect of international organised crime and is linked to the alarming murder rate (which stood at 73 persons after only 47 days of this year), torture, gang activity, money laundering, counterfeiting, human trafficking, illegal arms and ammunition, modern day slavery, sea piracy, assaults and robberies, to name but a few serious crimes. In the process it is undermining and threatening to destroy the very fabric of our society.
Last year, a newspaper cited the US Drug Enforcement Agency as stating that 14 percent of the cocaine bound for the USA in the first six months of 2013 was shipped through the Caribbean. The income to TT from this trade is significant, however, while there are no figures in the public domain, an educated guess must conclude that it runs into billions of dollars annually, finding its way into all areas of legitimate activity.
By contrast, it has created a new kind of poverty – the drug addict. Ill, often helpless, addicts may resist rehabilitative efforts, engage in petty crimes or drift into vagrancy, causing significant emotional and financial costs to their families. Frequently the families themselves are unable to cope – in every sense. For those who cannot afford it of course, the State must provide the safety net and professional services in the attempt to free addicts from their bondage. Very often, it fails.
That Trinidad and Tobago is a major transhipment point for drugs has been long known. In fact, the US State Department’s 2013 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report noted that TT is an “ideal location” due to its porous borders and direct transportation routes to Europe, Canada, and the United States. The Report further stated that “The entities and individuals working to combat narcotics in Trinidad and Tobago face considerable challenges and insufficient support from political leadership”. It went on to say that “reforms are necessary to expedite case prosecution, revise outdated laws, and establish an evidence-based criminal justice system as fundamental prerequisites for raising conviction rates and deterring traffickers”.
It also noted the several areas of co-operation between TT and the USA to address crime, including providing training “to Trinidad and Tobago’s Coast Guard to boost maritime law enforcement capacity.”
The Chamber emphasises that protection of our borders must remain a high priority, if we are to make our country more secure. And as was so acutely highlighted in the 600 million dollar drug bust, our regulatory agencies must be properly equipped and fully staffed to treat with the ever innovative trade of transhipment of illegal drugs. At a recent meeting with the Minister of National Security, this was discussed and some initiatives were highlighted by the Minister.
In the Chamber’s view, the Report has summed it up accurately, and some of the recommendations are similar to what the Chamber has been advocating for inclusion in the Government’s National Budget each year. Further, in many of our meetings and consultations with relevant stakeholders, these very initiatives are reiterated.
For the Chamber’s part, it will continue its strong lobby and proffer support; the implementation remains up to the powers that be.
Extracted From: Trinidad Newsday Newspaper