Archive for February 20th, 2011
UK firms reveal tax haven subsidiaries
(Mail Online): Hundreds of secret tax haven subsidiaries belonging to major UK companies have been revealed after widespread failures of disclosure in Companies House filings. Fifteen companies – including Marks & Spencer and insurance giant Legal & General – have admitted that they control a total of 568 subsidiaries in secretive locations such as the Cayman Islands and Jersey. The details emerged after the firms resubmitted a list of their subsidiaries to Companies House. The firms acted after being contacted by Financial Mail following a complaint by charity ActionAid and after receiving letters from Companies House.
A spokeswoman for Companies House confirmed that it had contacted-49 firms in the FTSE 100 to warn that failing to disclose makes directors liable for steep fines. Retailer Burberry admits to having seven subsidiaries in Luxembourg, while technology giant Smiths Group has a subsidiary called John Crane Ireland Limited, based in the Cayman Islands. A further 14 companies – including British Airways, cruise giant Carnival and supermarket group Morrisons – were in the process of filing disclosure of their subsidiaries or were at least looking into the issue.
Martin Hearson, tax policy officer at ActionAid, which is dedicated to ending poverty, said: ‘In the future we’d like the government to introduce laws to make companies compile separate accounts for all the countries they work in.’
Drugs found at Brac dump
(CNS): A small plastic Ziploc bag wrapped in customs tape containing what appeared to be illegal substance was found at the Cayman Brac dump by a member of the public mid-day Saturday, 19 February. CNS was called to take pictures of the bag, which was found unopened and hidden in a small purple duffle bag in a far corner of the island’s landfill. The Brac resident said she found the Ziploc bag at around 12:30pm and wondered how anything that had apparently been seized by customs could end up discarded at the dump. So, she told CNS, she opened it and looked inside and saw what she estimated to be 5 to 6 ounces of ganja and ganja seeds.
The resident left the bag with the CNS reporter and left the area, while we contacted the local Brac police. Two police officers arrived and took the possession of the plastic bag and also the purple bag it was found in. The officers estimated that the bag weighed about three ounces and could offer no explanation for how the drugs came to be at the dump. They said that suspected illegal substances seized by customs should be handed over to the RCIPS, who were responsible for destroying drugs.
A police spokesperson said that on Saturday afternoon police received a report that a small quantity of what appeared to be drugs was found at the Brac dump. “Officers attended the location and took possession of the package. Police enquiries into the incident are ongoing. Those enquiries will include liaison with customs officials," she said.
Drugs found at Brac Dump – old, not valid, not published
(CNS):tet A small plastic Ziploc bag wrapped in customs tape containing what appeared to be illegal substance was found at the Cayman Brac dump by a member of the public mid-day Saturday, 19 February. CNS was called to take pictures of the bag, which was found unopened and hidden in a small purple duffle bag in a far corner of the island’s landfill. The Brac resident said she found the Ziploc bag at around 12:30pm and wondered how anything that had apparently been seized by customs could end up discarded at the dump. So, she told CNS, she opened it and looked inside and saw what she estimated to be 5 to 6 ounces of ganja and ganja seeds.
The resident left the bag with the CNS reporter and left the area, while we contacted the local Brac police. Two police officers arrived and took the possession of the plastic bag and also the purple bag it was found in. The officers estimated that the bag weighed about three ounces and could offer no explanation for how the drugs came to be at the dump. They said that suspected illegal substances seized by customs should be handed over to the RCIPS, who were responsible for destroying drugs.
A police spokesperson said that on Saturday afternoon police received a report that a small quantity of what appeared to be drugs was found at the Brac dump. “Officers attended the location and took possession of the package. Police enquiries into the incident are ongoing. Those enquiries will include liaison with customs officials," she said.
Two more robberies reported
(CNS): A West Bay businessman was robbed of his takings on Friday night after robbers threatened him with a gun. Also on Friday at around midnight a man was taken to hospital after reporting that he was robbed and hit over the head with a bottle in the rest rooms at public beach. These two most recent incidents bring the total number of robberies on Grand Cayman so far this year to a dozen. In the first incident of the night in West Bay detectives say one of the robbers was wearing a Halloween mask. They said they have now launched an enquiry after the two men, one armed with what appeared to be a firearm threatened the man at his home before making off with the cash. No shots were fired in the incident and the man was not injured. (Photo Dennie Warren Jr)
At about 7.00pm Friday evening (18 February) the man locked up his business premises in the West Bay area and drove to his home in Crescent Close. He took a bag containing the cash into his home, leaving the front door ajar. He was then suddenly confronted by two men in his house who are believed to have entered through the open door. The suspect armed with what appeared to be the gun threatened the man and forced him to lie on the floor before they ran off with the cash. They are believed to have made off from the scene in what appeared to be a blue coloured, two door, soft-top vehicle, similar in shape to a Suzuki side kick.
The first suspect was described as about 5′ 7" stocky build and wearing a white shirt over his face with a Caymanian accent and the second who was wearing a Halloween mask said to be about 5′ 5” in height.
Meanwhile, shortly after midnight last night a man approached police officers patrolling n the public beach area and reported he’d been robbed. The man, who was attending the full moon party at Calico Jack’s said he had entered the male rest rooms on public beach when he was confronted by four males.
He said one of the men threatened him with a knife and demanded that he had over his wallet, watch and cell phone. One of the suspects struck the victim on the back of the head with what is believed to have been a bottle before the four suspects then left the rest room.
A short time later the victim reported the incident to police officers who called for an ambulance which took the man to the Cayman Islands Hospital, George Town, with a slight head injury. He was released following treatment but police said the victim is unable to provide descriptions of his assailants at this time.
Anyone who was in either of the areas at the relevant time or has any information about the incidents is asked to contact West Bay police station on 949-3999 or the confidential Crime Stoppers number 800-8477 (TIPS).
Man faces abduction charges
(CNS): Police said on Friday evening that a 38-year-old man has been charged with abduction and unlawful confinement following an incident which took place in January in the Bodden Town area. The man is accused of keeping a woman against her will in his car as they drove from Bodden Town to East End and back towards Savannah before she made her escape from the moving vehicle, sustaining slight injuries as she did so. Police arrested the man earlier this week following an investigation and he is now expected to appear in court on Monday.
According to the police sometime just after midnight on Monday, 31 January, the accused man and a woman were driving in his car from George Town towards Bodden Town. As the car approached Bodden Town the man, who was known to the woman, began making sexual comments towards her and refused to let her out of the car. He then drove the car at speed towards East End, High Rock and then back towards George Town again.
As they approached the Savannah area the car slowed down and the woman jumped from the moving vehicle, sustaining slight injuries, and the man drove off. The woman was taken to hospital and released following treatment.
Police said that a subsequent investigation led to the arrest of a 38-year-old man in Bodden Town on Monday 14 February. The man has now been formally charged with abduction and unlawful confinement.