Young drug mules who are smuggling marijuana out of Canada say they are being threatened and coerced to do so.
According to a Barbadian official in Canada, this is what is being reported to them by Barbadians when they are held.
The official who is based in Canada, told the Weekend Nation there were presently six young Barbadians on remand at the Maplehurst Correctional Facility in Canada after being held at the airport trying to smuggle drugs from Canada to Barbados. They were captured by Canadian border police.
The official said: “We are seeing an increasing number of persons who are being held on their way out of Canada. They are coming up here and they are seeking to take out drugs because marijuana is easily available in Canada. There are a lot of young women and men who appear to be marginally employed in Barbados.”
The source said some of these individuals claim they were either coerced or threatened but refuse to divulge who their contacts are in either Canada or Barbados.
“They are very cautious in speaking – they never really tell you the whole story. They speak very sparingly, cautiously and hesitantly. They give bits and pieces but they never tell you the names of who sent them.
“Some say they are threatened; some say they are coerced; some say they and their family are threatened and they are given or promised money to do it. They don’t say who sent them or when they reach Canada who is the contact here.”
Sonia Marville-Carter, Barbados Consul General to Toronto, said they were concerned about the escalating cases as she warned that Canada “has increased their border patrol and drug detection capabilities and when non-nationals are detained they face the law courts here in Canada. If found guilty the time is spent here in Canada. Deportation only occurs after the time has been spent.”
She added that the increase in the drug-related border arrests could present a number of negative implications for Barbados. “One of which is a sharper focus on our island with respect to immigration and illegal activity and possible restrictions being implemented like visas instead of ETAs (Electronic Travel Authorisation), not to mention an increased number of our people in Canadian jails.”
She pointed out that “individuals are under the false impression that they are deported to face the legal system in Barbados. Culture shock is another thing that occurs as the prison culture in Canada is very eclectic and that has also made it very hard on our nationals who are serving time here.”
Marville-Carter further warned, “Drug smugglers/runners are not given a slap on the wrist here in Canada and with increased detection and vigilance by Canadian authorities, this very serious offence can severely cripple the life of any person but especially the young ones who have to relinquish sometimes quite a few years of their life to prison in a foreign country.”
As to some of the services the consulate provides, she explained that when non-nationals are detained in Canada they are given an option to have their Consulate notified.
“Only if they accept are we notified. We then ensure that their rights are not being violated in any way and that they have access to legal representation. We, however, do not provide legal representation nor do we recommend an attorney. If they have no finances they would then need to use court-appointed representation. We just make sure that they are being treated fairly and within the laws of Canada.”
When contacted, head of the Drug Squad, Superintendent Anthony Warner told the Weekend Nation that the police were closely monitoring the drug network.
“There seems to be a change in the way how drugs would come to Barbados . . . . The bulk of drugs is imported and drugs are coming from North America to Barbados in significant quantities.
“We are trying to stop it – prevent, disrupt and apprehend the people that may be involved in the activity. So yes, we are doing a lot of work in that regard,” he said. (MB)
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