UPDATE: Police blames Customs for Hispanic woman's detention
The woman and her nine year old son were about to board a plane for the Dominican Republic when she was taken aside and questioned about her cash. They eventually missed their flight.
She told this news site that she was on her way home to her country to undergo a medical procedure.
However, Mason made it clear that it was a Customs issue and the RVIPF only took custody of the woman when Customs Officers handed her over to them.
“I can confirm that a female was detained by Customs at EIS yesterday and brought to the Police at Road Town - by Customs - for questioning,” said Mason in an email to our newsroom today July 22, 2015.
“Following a brief investigation by members of the RVIPF, that female was released without charge; the Officers satisfied that no offences relating to the initial suspicions of Customs officials had been disclosed,” said Mason.
She had been accused of having more than $10,000 in her possession when attempting to leave the territory. She told us following the experience that officers counted the money in front of her and her adult son Andy Donovan.
Contacted on the issue today, Commissioner of Customs Wade Smith said he had no comment.
The family told this news site that the woman will be making the trip tomorrow July 23, 2015 and hopes that they do not experience any difficulty this time around at the airport as she needs to get her medical treatment urgently.
See previous article published on July 22, 2015:
Hispanic woman accuses airport authorities, RVIPF of harrassment
-held for 5 hours @ the Road Town Police Station having been accused of attempting to leave the territory with in excess of $10,000, misses flight
BAUGHER’S BAY, Tortola, VI – A woman of Hispanic descent, Eunice de Leon-Stoutt, believes she was singled out for harassment because of her nationality by the authorities at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport yesterday morning July 21, 2015.
According to the woman, she was accused of being in possession of more than $10,000 when she was attempting to board a flight for the Dominican Republic and was detained firstly by the authorities at the airport and then by the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force whose officers took the woman and her nine year old son from the airport and down to the Road Town Police Station, allegedly placing her in the lockup.
She said after about five hours she was released but by that time her flight to the Dominican Republic had already departed.
Relating her story to this news site from her Baugher’s Bay home last evening, July 21, 2015 the woman said too that she was stripped of her clothing and searched even though the authorities had counted the money and according to her, it came up to $8,500.
The woman said that there was another woman in the line to board the same fight and she was also asked about money she had in her possession. de Leon-Stoutt believes that the authorities were of the view that the two women knew each other and were travelling together.
“I had to take a flight today (yesterday July 21, 2015). I had $8510 in my pocket. They carried me by the Police Station and lock me up. They said they have to search me. The next person had $13,000 in she pocket but me no know she. I don’t know who she is. They said that you and she is Spanish then I believe you and she is friends. It is the first time I see the girl. Me don’t know who is she,” said De Leon-Stoutt.
Treated like a criminal
Speaking to this news site, the woman’s son Andy Donovan said that he dropped his mother to the airport and was surprised to see how she had been treated, which he described as "like a criminal."
“After she [checked in] for the she went to the Customs side and when there they hold my mother and said ‘look a next one, look a next one,’. They hold another lady but they hold my mother too. They hold her for like four hours,” he said.
“She had a doctor’s appointment in Santa Domingo and the flight end up leaving her,” the son recounted. He said that his nine year old brother was there at the time and he was traumatised by what was happening.
“They then told me that I can’t see or speak to her because she under arrest. She was talking in Spanish to me and the officers them tell her don’t talk in Spanish because they don’t understand; talk English,” he said.
According to the young man, he saw a personnel from the airline the woman was scheduled to travel on come down to find out whether the woman was going to be boarding as they were about to leave. He said that they allegedly told the person, "Not she. She aint going nowhere."
Contacted by this news site today July 22, 2015, Denniston S. Fraser, Managing Director of the BVI Airports Authority said that while he has heard about an incident where someone was detained, he advised that we make contact with Police regarding details.
Efforts to reach acting Public Relations Officer of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force Carl Mason by text, emails and calls proved futile.
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62 Responses to “UPDATE: Police blames Customs for Hispanic woman's detention”
Like u cant read j@*k@$$
monkey @$$$, customs is who detained the woman, it has nothing to do with police, them customs officers cant count, they hand her over to the police because the beleive she had more than 10,000 in cash and didnt declare it, after handing her over to the police they realise that she didnt have 10,000 rather she had way less, so what do you want the police to do, charge her still? they had to release her, so why you all jumping on d police back, give d police a F******g break man.
What happen to "The next person had $13,000 in she pocket?"
them have all the reason to watch her!
de comisonner need to be fired he and de rest of j@*k@$$ of policemen are a pack of idiots here we go again NDP who is going to pay here for damages due need to be sued
Seems like we need a new Airport Chief. No problem with saying to contact police for details, but to say that you "heard about an incident where someone was detained"? That's all you "heard"? At the airport that you manage?
U got to be a sk**t
Why don't you mind your own business? What does any of this have to do with you. You people too damn may tay and love to be in things. I am sure that you have your own business to deal with that you cannot even handle. Leave the people to do their jobs. Nobody have to answer to you so just stay in your lane and mind your own business.
The police still trying to cover up why take her to the road town police station what happen to the east end station. then why take off her clothes and search her if its only the money she was being ask about. then again where there didn't hold the plan search her if she was only carrying the 8k then let her go. the woman have a doctor appointment and over in dr there don't really take chequs I should know I been there. as I say this is jut the police covering up the bulls$%^ there been doing.
Ity,violent crimes ,theft are a few reasons but kiliing them and denying them their birth certificates is not something that is done to them.
The Dom Rep should be wiped off the map.
why you dont hush yo s**** from talking stupidness bout haitians.... any part in the world once you have entered the country illegally it.doesnt matter the amount of years you have been there for you.qualified to get deported back to your home land... go.america and.enter illegally see if.america wont ship yo scu** back where you from....