Members of the JCF’s Constabulary Financial Unit (CFU) recently secured convictions against two foreign nationals for breaches of the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).
They are 39-year-old Adesh Seuraj, a Trinidadian national, and 52-year-old Lal Chowdhary, an Indian national residing in Curaçao. Both were charged with conducting a cash transaction exceeding J$1 million, which is contrary to Section 101 of the act.
Seuraj was arrested at the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) on October 6, after officers from the Jamaica Customs Agency found him in possession of more than US$64,000. He told investigators that he had collected the funds from a wholesaler in Jamaica.
Two days later, on October 8, Chowdhary was arrested at NMIA after being found with over US$50,000. Police report that Chowdhary gave a similar account to investigators, stating he collected the cash from a wholesaler in Jamaica.
Both men appeared before the Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Court on October 10, where they pleaded guilty to the offence.
Each was fined J$200,000 or 20 days imprisonment.
Acting Senior Superintendent of Police Victor Barrett of C-TOC, under which the Constabulary Financial Unit operates, described the convictions as a demonstration of Jamaica’s efforts to combat financial crimes and protect the economy.
“These convictions send a clear message that Jamaica is not a soft target for financial crimes,” said actg. SSP Barrett. “They reflect the collaboration with the police and their partners, the vigilance at our borders, the efficiency of the judiciary, and the professionalism and integrity of our investigators. The Proceeds of Crime Act continues to be a vital tool in disrupting illicit financial activity,” he added.
He further emphasised that while both men were fined J$200,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act, a person convicted of this offence can be fined up to J$3 million or imprisoned for up to three years.
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