serious question...

If everything gets here by boat or plane....how about the airports? We have 2 of them? What measures are taken at our airports to inspect incoming baggage/cargo passengers? Who is charged with that responsibility?

Ya hear about the 9 American Airline employees that were arrested on drug trafficking charges in Puerto Rico?

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSN152783820090915

Yup, they busted up a ring on STT about 3 years ago too.

It all depends on your flight where it departs from, most Metro areas XRay checked baggage, and scan carry -ON. Ships and containers I guess can slip Thur the cracks, I don't know if all containers are searched ( I did say I don't Know).

Supposedly containers go through some sort of xray scan as well.

I don't know either. I'm hoping that some people that do know chime in. Is it TSA that performs the scans/searches etc? Isn't their primary responsiblity to see that we're not bringing guns, explosives, liquids, or nail clippers onto the plane? LOL...forgive me for the nail clippers line...I couldn't help myself 😀

What about the seaplanes? Is anything scanned/searched at the seaplane terminals? What agency is charged with that responsibility?

STX borrowed a scanner from PR that scans over the whole shipping container. It was a multi-agency task, but alas the scanner has been returned to PR.

Does anyone recall the bomb scare the seaplane had about two years ago? I tried to find info online, but no luck so far...

Aussie your question seems to presuppose that guns are the problem.
I own guns but I don't shoot people for personal gain.
If it's not guns it would be machetes.
I suspect the survival rate for having your head chopped of is lower than being shot.
Problem is people who hurt other people for personal gain.

It's been pointed out the talented frequently leave because there is little for them in the VI.
Solve That problem and I suspect the others will solve themselves.

Greeting Michaelds9

I understand that it may appear that I'm saying that guns are the problem. Not so. I am a strong proponent of responsible gun ownership. I own quite a few myself although none of them are on the island with me.

Can we agree that easily accessible black market guns and free flowing hard drugs like crack and meth in the hands of misguided youth are a HUGE problem?

Agreed regarding the best and brightest leaving the VI but that is another matter....

I will agree if guns were harder to get there Might possibly be less shootings but I doubt would have any real effect on crime issues.

Now for stuff like methamphetamines I think a quick hanging is the only appropriate response.

Root cause is still too many males with nothing productive to do.

I'm in absolute agreement with you. I think that you're right on the money when looking at the root of the problem. I'm focused in another area on this thread.

Not sure about you, but I had to pass a police background check for most (not all) of the guns I purchased. I had to provide ID. The serial numbers on the guns were registered and could easily be traced back to me. The guns I bought weren't cheap.

I think it's an entirely different matter when you can go out and buy a gun and a bag of crack for $20 (or whatever the cost is), don't you?

Not sure about you, but I had to pass a police background check for most (not all) of the guns I purchased. I had to provide ID. The serial numbers on the guns were registered and could easily be traced back to me. The guns I bought weren't cheap.

Sadly I think if much of the law inforcement system is corrupt picking away at one piece of the puzzle will keep one occupied w/o much effect 🙁

Man, I don't even know how to respond to that one, Michael. I think that an awful lot of people feel that way. They see it as hopeless so why bother? Heck, for all I know, maybe it is....

LOL....BUT I'm not done yet! Yeah, yeah, wishful thinking.....:D

If there's a problem with guns and drugs flowing freely into these islands, where are the entry points? Who are the gatekeepers? Who's dropping the ball?

Who is charged with the responsiblity of protecting our coastlines? The VI? The Coast Guard?

Your thread and how you're "directing it" with welcoming certain people like you're Hugh Hefner in your living room is becoming a serious creepy yawn-fest. I'm going to read it next time instead of going for Ambien. Honestly, who do you think is in charge of the airport or the coastlines? It's like state sides, the STATES wouldn't do it, the federal govt. would. We have Coast Guard for the coast. Coast Guard just got some new boat for the VI, it was in the paper, and the CG had an open house a few months ago to introduce the new vessel at Gallow's Bay on STX. Also, look around when you go to the airport. People wear shirts that say "TSA" or "CBP" , those are both federal. TSA is screening. Customs does inspections. CBP is tasked to work the container ports.

I have shipped a lot of stuff to STT including a 40 foot container. THERE IS NO WAY THEY INSPECTED THE STUFF. I could have brought a cannon in!

billd

LOL...thank you very little mminstx 🙂

OK, let me cut to the chase before the lynch mob forms,,,,

First and foremost, I really do want to understand what issues we face in checking the flow of guns and drugs into the islands. Before you can address the problem, you have to understand what the problem is.

Underlying my questions is the belief that easily accessible black market guns and readily available hard drugs contribute in a large way to the violence and crime we see in these islands. Not everyone will agree but I believe that many of us share this belief. Drug money is blood money. Blood money finds its way into everything - our police departments, our courts and our government.

I see a common knee jerk reaction both on this board and off. If asked why the crime is so bad, the response is something like, "The cops are crooked. The government is corrupt. It's never going to change. I'm tired of talking about it so just shut and let's talk about what a pretty sunset it was."

The point of my questions......What if it is not and never was the responsibilty of the VI government or the VIPD to check the flow of guns and drugs into the islands? What if, straight down the line, it is the Fed that has failed us?

By the way, that cutter is stationed in Puerto Rico, isn't it?

LOL...you have an honest face billd!

I have a little insight into how Customs operates. My father woked for Customs for 20+ years. They can not and will not inspect every container. You simply didn't trigger a search.

If you "have a little insight into how Customs operates. My father woked for Customs for 20+ years. They can not and will not inspect every container. You simply didn't trigger a search." then why are you asking about it? I've seen several news shows that clearly state that every shipment to the mainland doesn't get inspected because it's a physical impossibility because of the sheer volume so why would it be any different here. I just don't know why this dead horse keeps getting beaten.

If this dead horse has been beaten before, please point out the thread to me.

Inspecting every container in the states is impossible. Inspecting every container here could be done but it won't be nor am I suggesting that it should be done. A single major seaport on the mainland probably moves more cargo in a day than we see in a year.

Everyone blames the VIPD and and a corrupt VI govenment. Lord knows, if you want to point fingers, the VIPD and VI government are easy targets. Nobody wants to talk about crime. Look at how few people posted on this thread. It's as though everyone has concluded that the problem is with the VI and everything is so corrupt that nothing will change so let's just not talk about it.

The Fed is not nearly as corrupt as the VI government is purported to be. If we can identify the problems, the Fed may provide a glimmer of hope. Putting a choke hold on the drugs and guns that flow into these islands surely won't solve all of the problems but boy what a change there'd be!

It's just another variation on your endless crime questions. Run for governor.

Look deeper....

When my container arrived it still had MY lock on it. Absolutely no inspection was done.
Could have been filled with anything!

I stumbled into an extremely informative thread yesterday and realized that I was approaching this subject from an uninformed perspective. Oh well, I tried...