House searches and seizures have been taking place since early Monday morning, November 28, 2016 in the investigation code-named Emerald. The special anticorruption taskforce TBO of the Kingdom Detectives Cooperation Team RST, together with the National Detectives Agency St. Maarten has searched a number of premises. The house of the suspect and some of his companies have also been searched. A search was also conducted at the offices of the St. Maarten port authority. The searches are still ongoing, and more searches cannot be excluded.
The suspect O.A. (35) from St. Maarten has been arrested this morning. He is currently suspected of tax fraud, forgery and money laundering.
The Emerald-investigation started in April 2016, following reports in the newspapers and questions asked in Parliament about the contract signed between the suspect’s security company the port authority of St. Maarten. During this investigation suspicions arose about tax fraud, forgery and money laundering
The investigation is still ongoing. In addition to the searches a number of bank accounts have been seized. In close cooperation with the authorities on the French-side also a yacht has been seized.
A new update will be made available tomorrow.
The investigation is part of a joint intensified fight against international fraud and corruption. Corruption and money laundering threatens the security and economy of the countries in the Caribbean part of the Dutch Kingdom. The special anti-corruption taskforce, TBO of the RST, together with the National Detectives Agencies (Landsrecherches) of Curaçao and Sint Maarten and the Prosecutor’s Office have joined forces to combat corruption. Orders to recover proceeds of crime fit in within the new policy of the Prosecutor’s Office. The Prosecutor’s Office will be submitting more of such claims.
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