Crown seizes dealer’s $10k
(CNS): The crown successfully managed to confiscate CI$10,626.13 in a range of currencies Tuesday from a local man recently convicted of conspiring to supply cocaine. Justice Charles Quin ruled during a confiscation hearing that the money found in Camilo Naranjo’s possession and his home when he was arrested in connection with the drug related offence following a police sting operation was as a result of criminal activity. The crown made the application to seize the cash, which was in several different currencies, following his conviction under the proceeds of crime law. Prosecutors successfully argued that money in Cayman and US dollars, as well as sterling and euros, was acquired by Naranjo unlawfully.
Naranjo, who is serving an eight year sentence after pleading guilty to the conspiracy charge in January of this year in connection with an undercover police operation that took place in 2010. Naranjo was believed to be a leading player in the local drug trade, and plain clothes police officers set up a trap for the suspect, in which they posed as potential customers for a significant amount of cocaine.
The money in question was seized after his arrest but under the law local authorities must demonstrate that the cash came into the convicted man’s possession as a result of his “criminal lifestyle" but the onus was on Naranjo to prove the cash was his via legitimate means. Naranjo had claimed that he had earned most of the money working with a local watersports operator and at a local restaurant but $2,000 had come from his mother.
In the months prior to his arrest in November 2010, Naranjo had made several extended overseas trips to the UK and Holland. He claimed to have financed these through the sale of jewellery and electronic equipment. However, no receipts were produced from the jewellery and the electronic equipment he had aimed to sell or were found in his apartment. In addition, the defendant was living at Treasure Island at the time of his arrest, paying some $1,150 in rent per month.
With no evidence as to how he sustained his lifestyle prior to his arrest or that he had sold any possession but with significant evidence that he was involved in drugs smuggling, the judge said it led to the “inescapable inference that he was drug trafficking on a significant scale”. The judge found that there was “no evidence of any legitimate source of income” for Naranjo. He said the defendant had failed to displace the crown’s assumption that the cash was a direct result of his criminal behaviour and ordered the money confiscated.
Category: Crime
Something has turned around and whatever it is, seems to be working. Robbers are starting to go to jail, undercover operations bursting out and criminals having property confiscated.
What changed?
This is good news whatever way you look at it. I'd like to hear of more outcomes like this, but not only cash but including properties as well. In short, anything the criminal cannot prove has not been acquired as a result of criminal activity.
Sad to say but Desperate times call for Desperate measures…. Keep on Pushing!
You dont have to like it but it is what it is! People gotta eat and unfortunatly there's no job for
all of us. The streets were hiring so i filled out an application and got hired right away!
sounds like a bad bob seeger song
In a million dollar business, do you think 10k makes a dent ?
To many high placed people and real estate brokers need these dealers.
Where there is money, there is coke.
So now we know the drug dealers CAN be caught. Let's hope our law enforcement people will continue with this type of oprations. It's far too easy to obtain drugs!
my question is …. if they can be caught now, why could they not be caught before?
Well Camilo it has been a very bad 2 years for you Airport contact got sacked too eh! Mann this place really getting bad for business eh??????
The crown successfully managed to confiscate CI$10,626.13 in a range of currencies Tuesday from a — " local man"—- recently convicted of conspiring to supply cocaine
Deportation Order?
He might be "Caymanian".
but even if he is, if the authorities are doing their jobs, they might be able to revoke his status (depending on how he got it) – as the law provides.
He was such a nice little boy, growing up and been raise in west bay did not help him at all…. and for yu "expat' haters, he is as caimanian as all of you are…. what were you saying????
Betcha if the law was being followed he would never have been able to become, or stay, Caymanian. I however agree it is probably too late now.
What the hell is a caimanian?
I don't know of any caimanians. The Caiman's were taken out years ago although Charlo seems to catch one a year when they get lost and end up here.
However there are Caymanian's a plenty.
Amen. Enough is enough and a message should be sent, fingerprints put on file and a database started and used by Immigration so that we can keep criminals out.
I know it's not as easy as all that and the fingerprinting system is expensive – but we need to do something, start somewhere.
Criminals have taken over this place.
He’s needed here.