Visitor caught at Cayman airport with loaded gun
(CNS): An American man was arrested on Saturday 28 March when he was found trying to carry a loaded firearm through Owen Roberts International Airport. And two days later a Caymanian, flying in from Honduras, was arrested after he was found with what could be cocaine.
Security staff with Flowers Airport Dispatch Services caught the visitor from the US with the firearm as he was leaving the jurisdiction. The firearm was detected by the x-ray machine as he went through airport security.
Customs enforcement officers were notified and Acting Head of Customs Marlon Bodden told CNS that his officers investigated and found a .22 Revolver loaded with four rounds of ammunition. The police were then called in while the customs department continued its investigation.
RCIPS officers examined the firearm to make sure it was safe and the visitor was charged for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. He went before the court Thursday, and CNS understands he was given a fine and not a custodial sentence.
On Monday 30 March the customs department made another unrelated arrest at the Owen Roberts International Airport.
A Caymanian man arriving on a flight from Honduras was selected for a secondary search. Bodden told CNS he was subsequently taken to the health services in George Town and it was established that he had in his possession a white substance resembling cocaine.
That matter is still under investigation and that individual remains in custody, Bodden said.
The written version of this report is much clearer and easier to understand than the video version.
The 53 year old American was a repeat visitor to Cayman with a conceal and carry permit in the USA and was deemed to have been an upstanding person. The gun was a tiny derringer that was accidentally packed away in his checked luggage and not on his person. He wasn’t attempting to get this into the passenger area, or into the cabin of the plane. It was discovered by luggage scan by our Customs and not by USA Customs – so good job to our guys for being on the ball.
What kind of gun-crazy freak has guns tucked into so many pockets that they forget about them?
Gun wasn’t on his body – it was in his checked suitcase – hoping to get it out the same way it accidentally came in.
This is not a good job by custom , they catches things going out of the Islands but not coming in . I think that their job is to protect the Islands, how is this protecting the Islands , when we don’t know how many guns he brought into the Island as a frequent visitor .
Cayman’s crime headlines and tripadvisor warnings probably don’t comfort those American visitors with Concealed Carry Permits in their home state. It might be tempting for them to bring their tiny insurance policy – some of them not much bigger than a cigarette lighter. Probably happens much more frequently than we’ll ever know. Clearly, pretty dumb to forget this thing with live rounds in hand luggage. Hundreds of these things could be harmlessly transiting our islands in packed luggage annually and we would never be the wiser.
Another very simple question anon 732pm find out who personally went to Jamaica and recruited this officer and who personally went to the airport to deal with this criminal matter and then you will understand why.
He had proven it that it is easy to bring guns in Cayman islands which criminals will start bring guns in Cayman Islands. In Cayman Islands airport NEED TO SCAN every single luggage even little purses after collect luggage and before they walk out the customs area. It works at Mexico airports where they scan all luggage before leaving customs area.
Absolutely correct. Panama and Honduras too. We’re probably one of the few places in this corridor that doesn’t check all inbound baggage.
Wasn’t there an identical incident several months ago where a serving POLICE officer was found by security officers to have a loaded gun in his possession as he was leaving the Island? Was he arrested? Was he charged or demoted or fined big $? Was he taken to court? Was he prevented from boarding his flight and leaving the Island?
WHY NOT??
Should the POLICE officer not have known better? Should he not be held to a higher standard of upholding the law of the Cayman Islands than a visitor?
What is wrong with our legal system? And why, why is it enforced so unfairly?
Just wondering if the C.I authorities contacted the American authorities to let them be aware of this individual that was trying to smuggle a gun into the U.S.A. What if he is a terrorist? He knows the rules of the law, it stands anywhere in this world, and he should be held accountable, with harsh punishment for his actions. I cannot believe that they just let this guy off with just a fine. Who telling what his plans or motives were? To the C.I Government/Police, did you all did any proper background check on this individual? Did you all found out if he was a wanted man or a known criminal? Or you just let this scapegoat go because he’s an American, and rather let them deal with it? This country is going down the drains, and some people in government are not doing their jobs. You cannot be nice to everybody, because, they would take advantage of you. If you feed a dog he will come back. Let’s turn the other cheek, if that was a Caymanian found with a gun in America, you bet the punishment would be harsh and he or she would be doing lots of prison terms. This should had been a felony charge against this man, and he should had been in northward doing time. When are we going to stop being weaklings, and enforce sticker punishment against anyone who broke the laws, in which includes expatriates, and let them know you did the crime you do the time!
Entering an airport with a loaded hand gun; the guy is stupid or careless.
Both conditions should disqualify him from carrying a loaded gun.
This is why I support strict gun control.
Nothing wrong if it is in checked luggage although it shouldn’t be loaded.
He could have easily boarded an internal flight first. It’s up to the traveler to check relevant laws. There is nothing to stop me boarding a plane to Saudi with a bottle or rum but common sense says no. Remember we are talking about an American here. They not known for common sense.
Not true. Try entering Saudi with a bottle of alcohol and see what happens to you!
This makes no sense…so are we saying a U.S. citizen was caught with a gun leaving Cayman? If so then one of two things happened : 1) he was smuggling a firearm out of Cayman illegally or 2) it was his own weapon and he had brought it in with him and was leaving with..both illegally. If the first instance is true then surely smuggling a gun out demands more than a fine and if the second instance is true then how the hell was he not pulled up when leaving his original airport and still not given more than a fine?
As with the other cases in the past, these people brought the guns into Cayman with them. This does not say much for security in the US.
Never the less, anyone who pulled this stunt with the US would not get off so easy.
I believe you are correct on them bringing it with them by mistake but the TSA confiscate around 5 loaded guns a day from US travelers and I think the usual MO is that the gun is confiscated, not saying that’s the correct approach, just what’s done.
I think they are buying the guns here. So many people can’t be bringing the guns with them from the States. The word is out that we are patsies and they are all coming here and getting their weapons.
yep how did it get in Customs answer that q!
There remains a disconnect between CIAA, Customs and other law enforcement agencies regarding prosecution and penalties for possessing prohibited items (possessing a prohibited item on departure is not a Customs matter – only such possession upon arrival). Clearly CIAA does not seem to realize, understand or accept its authority & responsibility in requiring mandatory penalties for security breaches such as this. CIAA is the agency which should be requiring prosecution under the relevant aviation security legislation, for which established penalties apply. This should not be an ad hoc matter, nor should that authority be transferred or usurped.
Your statement is incorrect, CIAA has zero jurisdiction on this, just like all airports across the globe. It is a Customs and Police law enforcement issue, Airports cannot persecute or arrest anyone for these types of actions. You don’t see TSA arresting anyone, it’s either the sheriffs or ICE units that handle these type of incidents, same thing European Union and Cananda etc. airports donot govern laws or enforce them.
How come the police officer who should also have known better was never arrested?????
Simple answer because this place is corrupt!
We all know how this is going to end, so just let him go.
If it was the other way around (an alien being caught in the USA), thy would be facing serious jail time.
Agreed. I also have to wonder if this individual was from a middle east country, would he be able to use the same excuse that has been used by other visitors; which we believed.
I am willing to bet not! So it goes in this God fearing, but not God following country.