Less
than a week after Inspector Wayne Wilson was arrested and charged
for fraud his name is again associated with another questionable
matter involving the Customs Department
Grenada
police might be asked to look into the importation of a vehicle
into the country by a suspended police officer in which “a
false declaration” was made to the Customs Department. The
vehicle, a 1991 Isuzu Truck was imported by Wilson Electronics of
Red Mud, St. Mark’s, a company operated by Inspector Wayne
Wilson who was charged last week for committing a fraud in another
vehicle-related matter.
According to well-placed sources, Police Commissioner Winston James
might be forced to look into the matter as part of efforts to clean
up the image of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF).
The alleged illegality was first brought to the attention of government
officials in September 2003 by a businessman who came in possession
of the fraudulent documents.
The St. George’s businessman had written to the Comptroller
of Customs alleging that persons associated with the importation
of the truck in 1999 had made a false declaration as to the value
of the vehicle from Japan.
One of the documents seen by this newspaper originated from IBC
Japan Ltd and showed the declared value at EC$14, 760.00 supported
by an IBC document for 600, 000 Yen. The businessman was also able
to obtain another document with the same model and chassis number
of the imported Isuzu truck with much different figures.
This document addressed to Wilson Electronics gave the value of
the vehicle as 760, 000 Yen. In addition, the Customs Declaration
form issued by the Broker who cleared the Isuzu Truck put the value
at EC$14, 760.00, the equivalent of 600, 000 Yen and not the higher
figure on Wilson’s Proforma Invoice from the exporting Japanese
company.
The businessman decided to circulate copies of all the documents
sent to the Chief of Customs to the Comptroller of Inland Revenue
and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance “in
an effort to expose the perpetrators” of the scam. He also
wrote a follow up letter to the Comptroller of Customs several months
inquiring “whether the information provided was sufficient
for your investigation, since to date we have not been asked to
assist”.
“We have no doubt that the individuals involved in this activity
continue in the same manner, given the number of used cars and trucks
from Japan which continue to be imported each month”, he told
the Comptroller. “....If your department (Enforcement) is
not interested in the supply of information of this type please
be good enough to so advise us so that we do not waste our time
in the future”, the letter added.
According to the source, now that Wilson has been arrested and charged
for fraud in another vehicle-related matter, the hope of car dealers
in the country is that Commissioner James might step in and order
a probe into the Isuzu Truck issue.
“Let’s wait and see what they (Royal Grenada Police
Force) will do with this one. There should be no cover-up and all
who are involved should be locked up”, he remarked.
Police insiders confided to this newspaper that the lawmen can only
pull in Wilson and the others for questioning on the alleged false
declaration matter if someone makes an official complaint to them.
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