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Crackdown on gangs to bring longer sentences

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Allyson Maynard-Gibson

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

AUTHORITIES have discovered that organised criminal groups in the Bahamas are not only nationwide, but are connected to other gangs in international countries.

As such groups have made many inner city communities unsafe, officials have made it clear that gang members who are convicted will not only face longer sentences, but will have their assets confiscated and used for crime fighting initiatives.

Both Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson and State Legal Affairs Minister Damian Gomez at a press conference yesterday shed more light on the magnitude of gangs in the Bahamas. In some cases, they said, they extend as far as Colombia and possibly further.

The measures are the result of amendments to the Penal Code, which are expected to combat organised crime and its reach throughout the nation.

“We are seeking to keep communities safe,” Mrs Maynard-Gibson said, “we are not going to tolerate crime gangs in our communities. We recognise that these gangs have international reach. We are going with our partners and countries around the world in this thrust.

“The police have brought to our attention that some leaders of organised crime groups believe that if they spend some time in jail it’s worth it because their assets will be made available to them once they leave jail. The result of this thrust is that their assets, those ill gotten gains, will be frozen and they will be confiscated. Also because the laws are already in place the money from the assets will be deployed in the fight against crime.

“The police advise us that the reach of organised crime and organised gangs in our community is extensive. They reach into  other islands. I don’t want to name them to in any way compromise the work of the police.”

The Attorney General reassured the public that the Christie administration has spent all of its resources to eradicating the criminal element in the country.

“Nothing is more important to us than assuring that Bahamians understand that all of our resources are going to be mounted 24-7, 365 (days a year) in the fight against crime. We are making progress.

“We will spare no efforts and we will deploy all of our resources to ensure that these people are brought to justice,” she said.

The Bill refers to any criminal organisation with three or more people who participate in illegal activities. Accordingly, such persons would be subject to fines of $500,000 and a prison sentence of 20 years with a minimum of 15 years.

Comments

ThisIsOurs 11 years, 1 month ago

Aaahhh... Assets confiscated if found to be conducting illegal activities...soooo.you are saying that just because you've accumulated wealth it doesn't mean that the source of that income will automatically be considered legal? if you ran an illegal business for years for example, and today you couldn't really tell if the accumulated business profits were from prostitution, human smuggling, ordered hits, illegal drugs etc, you would not be allowed "a chance" to legitimize that money? You would confiscate that money...

Can anyone say webshops and unlicensed banking a.k.a. Illegal money transfers and uncorroborated source of funds?

john33xyz 11 years, 1 month ago

Nassau (and other lslands) needds to have Social Services run SOUP LINES - so people (esp kids) can get a meal of food (just soup though).

People are starving in this Bahamas, and the gangs offer them a chance to eat bread.

john33xyz 11 years, 1 month ago

WHERE and WHEN. Tell me where I can go at what time to join in the soup line and get a bowl of soup !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I assure you, there is none.

sansoucireader 11 years, 1 month ago

Doing things backwards--as usual. How will they know who is actually in a gang? I'm not talking about assuming someone is in a gang, how will they really know? Tattoos, a list of names somewhere, what?

concernedcitizen 11 years, 1 month ago

IT REALLY AS SIMPLE AS IF YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE MORE ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN THAN YOUR GDP CAN ABSORB CRIME AND GANGS WILL CONTINUE TO GROW .IT IS THAT SIMPLE .WHEN A SINGLE MOTHER OF 5 FOR 3 DIFFERENT DEAD BEAT DADS IS THE NORM ,CRIME, VIOLENCE ,AND POVERTY WILL GROW .A SEXUALLY IRRESPONSIBLE SOCIETY CAN NOT PRODUCE RESPONSIBLE ADULTS ..

countryfirst 11 years, 1 month ago

This all sounds good, but let's start by keeping those accused of murder in jail and creating real permanent jobs instead of government handouts.A strong economy is the best fight against crime.

john33xyz 11 years, 1 month ago

No - you are wrong. concernedcitizen's solution has to be applied at the same time as your solution. If you just give people more jobs and better jobs and keep criminals off the street so that commerce can flow - most people will just have more and more children because they can then "afford them" - and then they will be right back to needing more money again - and more classroom seats and more teacher and more ...

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