With scandal after scandal emanating from the island of Andros, MP for North Andros and Minister of Immigration Vincent Peet is being scrutinized for his possible involvement in the illegal importation of vehicles, illegal immigrants and other items into his constituency.
Mr. Peet has adamantly denied rumours that he is involved in the crime and corrupton that is occuring in his constituency.
According to customs officials, the minister’s name has not yet come up in their investigation, and some suggest that the allegations against Mr. Peet have been personally or politically motivated.
The minister said that claims of his involvement in the illegal schemes are “total and utter nonsense”. He said he fully supports the investigations.
Andros is the location of an illegal immigrant smuggling ring which works out of an airport there. Also, hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of automobiles and other uncustomed goods were discovered in a raid last week. And drug smuggling is an ongoing enterprise.
The raid last week uncovered several vehicles that entered the country illegally, and Customs officials confirmed that investigations so far imply that such illegal operations have been going on in Andros “for quite some time.”
A second raid in Morgan’s Bluff, Andros this week has netted yet another host of un-customed items including luxury cars, motorcycles, a boat, a tractor head and a trailer full of alcoholic beverages, Customs officials announced.
Customs Controller John Rolle said that the most recent raid was not as significant as the first, where over $290,000 worth of items was seized.
Andros was also the scene of the Korean fishing boat scandal last year.
