JG - Trail of the missing sand: Orderly theft

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Gleaner

Trail of the missing sand: Orderly theft

published: Sunday November 30, 2008

According to a source, who claims he participated in the theft of 500 truckloads of sand in late June from Coral Springs in Trelawny, the entire operation started on a Thursday evening and ended the Sunday night. No sand was drawn on Friday.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"The source, who has requested anonymity, tells The Sunday Gleaner that he first stepped on to the property owned by Felicitas Limited at around 8:30 p.m. one Thursday in late June - nearly three hours after mining operations began.

He had gone there to provide support for motor vehicles involved in the operation."

"(D)espite the beach being located nearly one mile from the main road, a new road had been cut leading to the shoreline."

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"(O)ne policeman on a motorbike was keeping watch at the top of the road leading to the beach.

The cop's job, at first glance, the source says, was to signal oncoming traffic to stop when a truck laden with sand was about to enter the roadway.

Operations on the beach were equally orderly. The only difference was that there were more persons of repute overseeing the activities. The source says that one local government representative and a former politician came on the scene for a short while. He says the politician was seen taking large sums of money from his sport-utility vehicle."

JG - Trail of the missing sand: Spreading the spoils

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Gleaner

Trail of the missing sand: Spreading the spoils

published: Sunday November 30, 2008

POLICE PROBING the removal of some 500 truckloads of sand in late June from Coral Springs in Trelawny could make arrests this week, says Government's point man on the investigation, Daryl Vaz, state minister in the Office of the Prime Minister.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"Police personnel and politicians are among a team of robbers believed to have left their footprints on the shores of the property from which the sand was removed.

The five-month long, high-level police probe has not yet revealed the players in the carefully planned illegal activity, but Sunday Gleaner sources have suggested that the investigators should have already gathered sufficient information to begin criminal proceedings.

A source, on condition of anonymity, claims he participated in the theft and has given The Sunday Gleaner insight into what took place in Coral Springs under the supervision of cops and politicians."

"The Quarries Control Act, 1984, expressly states that sea sand is considered "quarry material", therefore, any person who removes sea sand from any place to be used for construction purposes can be considered to be operating a quarry for the purposes of the act.

A licence is required from the minister of mining in order to operate a quarry and unless the minister allows, no licence will be granted to any person to operate a quarry outside of a quarry zone."

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"Any person who is convicted of this offence for the first time is liable to payment of a fine of up to $30,000 or imprisonment for up to 12 months, or to both such fine and imprisonment."