Merren admits serious drug offences in US court
(CNS): Local businessman Bryce Merren has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute drugs. The 47-year-old Caymanian, who admitted the offence in a Puerto Rico court last week, still faces two other counts, one of money laundering and another drug-related offence of attempting to sell, distribute or dispense cocaine, but as part of a plea deal those charges are expected to be dropped. Merren was arrested in March this year in a sting operation in which he was accused by US law enforcement officers of being involved in a plot to to smuggle as much as 3,000 kilos of cocaine.
Merren is understood to have met an undercover federal agent in San Juan, which the US authorities claim is caught on film, on numerous occasions in connection with a proposed major drug deal.
He was also accused of transferring $200,000 as initial deposit for the smuggling operation. US authorities say that Merren planned to use business interests in the Cayman Islands and in Curacao to assist in laundering money from the sale of the cocaine.
Category: Crime
The real drug dealers. I hope you all seeing the truth now.
This is not the first time a Caymanian has gone down for being a MAJOR drug mule/kingpin/mastermind. This has been going on since the 80's. It has nothing to do with the way Cayman stands now. The world of drugs is, for some, quite intriguing. It is a way to get rich, fly in private planes, date famous people and have so much money you need a counting machine. Problem is, for the most part, these people start believing they are invinsible. The deals get biggers and the players get bigger too. My main point – this is nothing new. Go back and look in Cayman's history. Same big family. Same same same. We're just in 2014 instead of the 80's. Let us try and keep things in perspective.
Entrapment is a common theme in US style "justice". Actual guilt or innocence is of little relevance. See the case of John Delorean.
Right…they hypnotize the "victim" and make him do things he would NEVER do normally 😉
Entrapment is crappy but effective. when it comes to drugs I have no sympathy.
But being willing to agree to launder money to purchase vast quantities of cocaine does help them.
Greed is the key word here. I knew Bryce when he was young. IMO he was pressured by the society to do something drastic. I am sure he didn't think that the drugs would affect young people, maybe even his own… To me he seemed always way too impressed with materialistic things. There was no depth to him. Seemed arrogant.
So how did he become like this? The SOCIETY he lived in values only those with cash and the one who has the largest boat when he dies wins, right? It is never enough. It is all about showing off and if your frined got something new.
He had it made. He had the respect of people on the island, his own business. Family business doing great. Beautiful island to live on..etc.
Would he be a different person had he been poor? Idk. Maybe if he would have believed in Karma he would be. Or prayed.
Last time I visited Cayman after a long time, I was shocked how much it has changed. Everyone I met just talked about how money and how difficult things were for them. They never stopped to talk about how much they had to be grateful about.
Our memory are so short. We need to remember how Bryce fed so many of us after the Ivan Hurricane for free. Lets hope he will be around for the next hurricane. God loves him and will take care of him.
Well God aint doing a very good job of "looking after him". Oh wait maybe he actually is "taking care of him" after all.
Yes God loves him. God loves everyone but wrong is wrong. And as for feeding people for free after Ivan. Many people did this especially restaurant and supermarket owners because the food that they had stored was going to spoil anyway if they did not either cook it and give it away or just give it away because there was no electricity.Rest assured if most of these "good Samaritans" had a way to keep the perishables to themselves or for sale they would have,
@2:38
I am always grateful for those who are philanthropic, however, in light of this, maybe hs generousity was a smokecreen or good old fashion guilt to hide the type of lifestyle he was willing to engage in to obtain more money.
I'm interested to know who else involved? One person cannot move 3,000 kilos by one self. I hope the US authorities dig deeper and catch the scums that are creating this mess to our children and our communities.
The other as-yet to be divulged & named Cayman conspirator/s should expect a surprise, when they next walk down the jetway in MIA.
Is 3,000 kilos too much to claim for personal use?
How much ws destined for The Brac????
Whilst in no way wishing to defend Mr Merren or the crimes he was prepared to commit, can posters please be a little rational? There was no 3000Kg of cocaine – it was a made up story, a sting operation. And no plan to import it into Cayman – why would the US Justice Department give a rats about that, and thats 55 grams of coke for every man, women and child on the island!? What Merren did was get suckered into agreeing to support a completely fictitious importation plot into the US by agreeing to launder the proceeds through his business. That makes him a scumbag who is prepared to support the drugs cartels for money (like some banks we could mention), but does not make him a drug lord or someone who was going to destroy Cayman youth by distributing drugs here. Vilify him by all means, but for what he conspired to do, not what you want to believe.
Your comment clearly identifies you as a naive idiot. He got "suckered in…" So we're blaming someone else?
Whilst you can point to the facts that demonstrate that this wasnt a sting operation, and that there really was a deal with 3000 kg of coke behind it that Merren was involved in, and he just happened to bump into the FBI and tell them about it? Go on then. And you call me naive? SMH.
Well obviously Merren's lawyer has been busy spinning this as best as possible. Maybe Merren should get community service. Anyone wondering who Merren is talking about in Cayman to get this deal?
Maybe his lawyer will respond.
He didn't set this up alone. I wonder who he's taking the fall for?
He didnt set up, you are right – the FBI did. The clue is in the word "sting".
Making him not only guilty but stupid as well.
So we should blame the FBI, typical denial and blame game found so often here in Cayman.
Next you will tell me this was Merren's first deal.
Mr. Merren is certainly not the first businessman in Cayman who have taken part in illegal activities to gain or increase materal wealth. Ask Caymanian men in their late 40s and older. This is one reason why you shouldn't envy others for the things they have because you do not know how they came to get them.
For the LOVE of money is the root of all sorts of evil; and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:10
Better this turning point in his life than the possibilities of how this could have grown and been worse for him later.
I am not sure if anyone one truly realises the amount of drugs here. 3000 kilos which is an approx 70 million plus street value.
I have known Bryce most of my life and use to consider him a friend.. Now never this man was planning on killing people, my kids your kids and other kids, this is the worse sort of person on this earth “drug dealer” oh if forgot we have short term memories here in Cayman I will love him next week..
It is also great because we have finally got one of our own bug families boys. Just goes to show it’s not just the poor that deal drugs.
I am sure there are several other big boys sh….ing their pants right now because you what a plea deal means… hand over the others…
I'm wondering if Brycey will sing like a canary on the other's involved or rather than being a mitch, will he take one for the team??
Sigh – there are no others in a grand conspiracy to import, its a sting operation!. The FBI tells Bryce that there is a scheme to import 3 tons of coke, and will he process the funds, and he says yes. That doesnt meant that there is 3 tons of coke, or that Bryce has any involvement in the completely fictitious scheme – it just means that he, like a hell of a lot of people on the rock, is prepared to launder other peoples criminal money. Get it now? Sheesh. I used to be surprised that people would believe stings like this – but hell, even people who were not involved believe the underlying fantasy. Good for you FBI.
I get there was no 3000 kilos of cocaine to import but in his mind there was. I'm sure Brycey was not gonna be the one in Rock hole selling the coke. HE must have had something set up with a person/s here to distribute the fictional drugs.
So you’re saying you can’t teach your kids that drugs of all kinds, when abused are a bad thing? It starts with the parents or parent to teach their children about things that are bad for their health, well being and loved ones. Dealers and illegal (legal as well) drugs don’t have direct responsibility. Education is key. Bryce should still be considered a friend, there’s no evidence that he sold any kind of drugs.Understanding and compassion are a trait you would do well to practice. Bryce, you’ll always be my friend, godspeed to your homewhen this bad choice in your life is over and done with.
Let's hope he offers something of value in exchange – ie. provides evidence on the Cayman-end of this dirty network, so that further arrests and charges can happen. This is a rare chance for us to to ask for something in exchange for being a world leader on the 50+ TIEAs we signed. Alden should be on the phone arranging a high-level evidence exchange.
Why people like to talk bad about others? And the thing is that those who like to gossip they hidden something behind. PEople STOP managing other people life, concentrate in your own.
follow God commandments.
im sick of it!!!!!
08:52, I believe one of "God's" commandments is "Thou shalt not snort".
Was Bryce following that one?
He’s good and lost now bobo! He had been doing this a long time now! 99 times you go to well the 100th the bottom will fall out,well he have reached that 100th time!! Gt voter
So very sad!
And who was going to sell for him once he got the drugs here?
unna already know who. don't play stupid.
13:03 not because its his first time getting caught make him a amateur , he might be well seasoned .
Unadulterated greed! This is a massive venture with $200,000 as the initial deposit!!! It would shock you to know who else was involved and giving him their full support. 3,000 kilos is a lot of cocaine. Can you imagine the damage that would do to our youth? When I see so many people living in the lap of luxury while others cannot afford to pay their mortgage, it make you wonder.
Was he one of those who got Status in 2003?
16:o4 No , he did not get Status in 03, but he employs alot of them.
Undoubtedly they corrupted the poor born Caymanian (you are surely not going to say he is a staus grant recipient) – is that it?
Yes, you see it IS the fault of the Status Grant recipients! He must have breathed in the badness by mixing with them.
Now he has earned status in Puerto Rico too.
All regional criminality must be blamed the Status Grants. He was led down the path of evil by a Status Grant recipient.
He aimed to destroy our youth?????
Yet he asking for mercy?????
Yeah but thats like shooting fish in a barrel.
Destroying our youth is a breeze.
Poor little Bryce-ie…
When will he be sentenced?
He will be sentenced just before Christ gives you your sentence. Bryce will possibly be a fine or prison but the good Lord has promised you Fire.
I wonder if they will do a further background check here in Cayman to confirm his sources of income. This is too much of a large deal for an amateur to be involved in.
NO Shit!!
Fah real……
Mexican Mafia……would not want to be on the wrong end of them.