BVI News

Customs Commissioner Wade Smith placed on administrative leave

Commissioner of Her Majesty’s Customs, Wade Smith has been placed on administrative leave.

Highly-placed sources indicated to our news centre that this administrative leave takes effect immediately.

The exact reason for this decision is not yet clear to BVI News but it comes months after the release of the controversial Commission of Inquiry report that resulted in the Royal Virgin islands Police Force opening several criminal investigations into multiple government departments and agencies.

The decision to have Smith placed on administrative leave also comes several weeks after another high-ranking public official — Permanent Secretary in the Premier’s Office, Carolyn O’Neal Morton — was placed on similar leave while the RVIPF conduct investigations.

COI Commissioner, Sir Gary Hickinbottom had said in his report that he could not exclude the possibility that corruption may exist among officers in HM Customs and the Immigration Department.

“The environment in each – but particularly the former – is conducive to such,” Sir Gary said.

As a remedy, Sir Gary recommended that “independent vetting of all current HM Customs and Immigration Officers at all levels needs to be undertaken on an urgent basis.”

BVI News, in the meantime, will provide more details on this developing story as it becomes available.

 

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90 Comments

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  1. Inquiring says:

    When they going reach to investigate PWD?

    Like 28
    Dislike 3
  2. Alright says:

    Many of us saw this coming…it took longer than we thought, but better late than never. Some residents want to live life on the fast lane and dabble in drugs and guns, while some of us want to live a peaceful life doing an honest 9-5 and we want to be able to move around the island freely with our family and not have to worry about being gunned down. Ms.Pickering was gunned down at her own home, Trinity and Mr.Penn were on their way home and the list goes on. For a small island too many high powered guns have made it’s way here and it’s time that those who are responsible for the safety of the ports of entry be held accountable.

    Like 128
    Dislike 4
  3. Resident says:

    I wonder why that could be?

    Like 24
    Dislike 2
  4. Rubber Duck says:

    Who is Government Official 1?

    Like 90
    Dislike 2
  5. Crazy Joe says:

    Good riddance. He spent his time harassing tourists and local boat owners and made not one single drug bust in all his time. I wonder why that was.

    A n**ty piece of work.

    Like 79
    Dislike 12
  6. How long says:

    Get his associates now, his foot soldiers.

    Like 71
    Dislike 6
  7. Yes says:

    It,s about time.

    Like 42
    Dislike 5
  8. Lb says:

    GO1???

    Like 23
    Dislike 2
  9. :) says:

    A-MEN!

    Like 20
    Dislike 4
  10. Julian Wiglet says:

    I’ll take Headcoach Assistants for $700 (thousand), Alex.

    Like 45
    Dislike 3
  11. Hmmm says:

    Well Bvinews you are really on top of the game cause there’s nothing on this on the yellow site LOL

    Like 48
  12. Braaaaaapppp! says:

    (Shouting) THE THING START!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Like 34
    Dislike 1
  13. @Alright says:

    Hear, hear!

    Like 14
  14. Aristottle says:

    The two with the drug dealers gold chains.

    Like 15
  15. Caprice says:

    It will be making them very nervous over there.

    Like 15
  16. @crazy Joe says:

    you spelled “Carrying out BVI Law/Fining Law breakers” wrong

    Like 3
    Dislike 4
  17. ... says:

    dont mind the noise smithy small thing that another which hunt

    Like 3
    Dislike 30
  18. wow says:

    Just because he exposed the dutty police them

    Like 6
    Dislike 39
  19. One eye rooster says:

    Well my a** the ting start a message to all those who work in (HMC TASK FORCE ON LAND AND SEA RESIGN NOWN WHILE YOU HAVE TIME AND TO THAT B**DEN GIRL FROM HUNTUMS GHUT YEA THAT PREETY STICKIE HAD ONE TURN YOUR SELF IN THE WARRANT DONE SIGN FOR YOU THIEFING BEHIND)

    Like 8
    Dislike 2
  20. OMG says:

    1 by 1 bvislanders are being systematically destroyed….WOW!

    Like 5
    Dislike 45
  21. Others says:

    What about the rest of the officers that enabled him and didnt once have the morals to call out the alleged wrong doing? That is why the police have got to work at the ports because customs is corrupt.

    Like 48
    Dislike 2
  22. Vi says:

    About d**n time next step put his a** in jail

    Like 17
    Dislike 2
  23. Political death says:

    spiral has commenced for various civil servants in Customs and Premier’s office.

    Like 12
    Dislike 1
  24. Let's go says:

    C******pher in Trade need to be next

    Like 29
    Dislike 1
  25. hallo says:

    god giveth and god taketh away. U all are more corrupt and racist than the whites. UK is doing a good job. Some them needs to be replaced from their position because the people pay for a service and all they do is keep the country stagnant due to their greed.

    Like 45
  26. Hold up says:

    So because he’s a bvislander it’s a witch hunt and he’s being destroyed??? You can tell the mentality of some of you

    Like 54
    Dislike 2
  27. Carrot Bay says:

    If you was there or involved in wrong doings, your name would not be mentioned!!

    Like 13
  28. LET US MARCH says:

    THEY ARE TRYING TO GET RID OF ALL THE LOCALS IN TOP POSITIONS

    Like 10
    Dislike 67
  29. Resident says:

    Mika was right

    Like 19
  30. Crickets says:

    Strange that…what possible explanation could there be?

  31. Bull$hit says:

    There are alot of snakes in our grass or rather up our a$$! Notice how these blogs are that try to paint a negative “NARRATIVE” of the BVI! Same people who here feeding off of the US dollar but still trying to belittle the Territory and its people! The man is put on administrative leave and no further info has been provided but yet to jump to conclusions! SMFH! Let the process take its course!

    Like 13
    Dislike 31
  32. Well well well says:

    Gov official numero uno? I was patiently waiting. Jump on your phone and broadcast this now. Everybody business was in your mouth like the little g**l you are. Now we all know and see yours. The world is round isn’t it?

    Like 23
    Dislike 3
  33. Yep says:

    As he should be….

  34. Haha says:

    As if you didnt already know…

  35. IwukHere says:

    It’s about time they removed this co**upt h**rtless individual. His influence goes way higher than you think. Even the politicians were afraid of this guy. I hope he does not get reinstated to his post. Really hope justice is served and they clean up all of the other co**uption internally. It shouldn’t stop with just him because he did not work alone. Keep going, keep cleaning and sweep them all out. i don’t care how many dislikes I get either, anyone that’s not in their circle knows how they get treated.Enough is enough and all who needs to talk needs to talk on every and anything they know to stop this corruption.

    Like 41
  36. Ah Ha says:

    The saga begins

  37. Stop it says:

    Who is benefiting off of US dollars only ? Is greed for the US dollars why we find ourselves in questionable situations at the point in BVI history ,,,
    When TRUTH is revealed and justice is spoken out yiu say it is SNAKE which BIBLE do you read

  38. Lashing Dogs says:

    Who to blame the Drew he killed the Bvi not the UK

    Like 21
  39. Island Peep says:

    Innocent until proven Guilty – yes, that is the law. But do you really think he would have been suspended if there wasn’t enough information and evidence already gathered to start the legal process to end in prosecution and jail time?

    Like 21
    Dislike 1
  40. Jim says:

    Smu**ler in chief caught red handed

    Like 30
    Dislike 1
  41. Bystander says:

    Who will be next??

  42. At Last says:

    FINALLY!

    Like 10
    Dislike 1
  43. George Dog says:

    There are some other crimes that need to be investigated too.

    Who brings all these hookers into the country and has the power to waltz them through immigration and labour?

    Like 32
  44. To one eye rooster says:

    LOL it was a long time coming. She did a lot of dirty work and it was kept hush hush…hopefully, her time is up NOW!!!

  45. Sherlock says:

    Only the crooked ones.

  46. @one eye rooster says:

    She can’t sleep her way out of that lol

  47. He was to resign long time. says:

    These people are not smart. No one they getting mix up, he should have resigned a long time and safe this embarrassment..Between Foy and maynard one will talk to save themselve.its going be more very soon

    Like 21
  48. To Lashing Dogs says:

    And he got no sh**e, I remember when he showed up to the little girl’s funeral. God really does see all. I dont feel sorry for him and his cronies

    Like 12
  49. @LET US MARCH says:

    Only the corrupt ones!

  50. Wondering says:

    What is the big deal? Nothing happened to Carolyn O’ Neal Morton, nothing is going to happen with Wade Smith. Who is going to bring a case against either of them? They are on vaca with pay. More waste of taxpayer’s money, imo.

    Like 12
  51. Correct says:

    Yes, get “C_sh-n!

    Like 3
    Dislike 1
  52. Just a question says:

    And the police are not corrupt?

    Like 4
    Dislike 4
  53. Hmmm says:

    Not sure because those in jail are yet to be “suspended”.

  54. @ he was to resign says:

    Greed kept him from resigning. Jail house here they come

  55. Yes!!!! says:

    I was patiently waiting for this to happen….this sc*****ag and his cronies have done more damage to the local charter industry and have given the BVI a seriously bad reputation in the world sailing community that we may never recover from….Yay, yay, yay…about time…

    Like 15
    Dislike 1
  56. Don’t worry says:

    The Governor using the police to help clean up for now and then he will sweep through the force .He is organized and systematic. The Uk has hundreds years of experience ..

    Like 14
  57. He got says:

    G R pulling laws out customs act that doesn’t even apply to some of the fines, shameful they way they operate an your are afraid to challenge them because they won’t allow you to win unless it’s before the court. They hurt a lot of people’s good character by smearing their names as they’re some criminals.

    Like 10
  58. Wiggy says:

    Who knows.

  59. @ let US March? ?????? says:

    yeah rite ,and I suppose those locals are holy angels ?/ OK let’s get the holy csc / VG Queen ? /the bishop and the rest puppets , we are going to sit down in the streets everywhere in road town , day and night , while we hollering out ( FREEDOM / FREEDOM – FREEDOM ) we going to close it down ?

  60. …. says:

    Dumb dumb

  61. Rebecca says:

    The person who suspended him was the Governor. No politician dare because he has too much on them.

    Like 20
  62. Miranda says:

    Good

  63. John says:

    People really like to destroy people reputation in the BVI mission. People need to stop this stupidness. Especially on these sites. The man ain perfect and no one is. If he is guilty of something time will tell but you destroy the man character land that is bad.

    Like 1
    Dislike 8
  64. ting 2 talk says:

    Captain, this ship is sinking
    Captain, these seas are rough
    We gas tank almost empty
    No electricity, we oil pressure reading low
    Shall we abandon ship?
    Or shall we stay on it, and perish slow?
    We don’t know, we don’t know
    Captain, you tell we what to do

    Like 5
    Dislike 1
  65. yes i says:

    but look he da@# face, if criminal had a face

  66. wat a ting says:

    wait das the customs officer gyal wha give the police man the wrong child………………she doing ting ah long time but time longer than twine

    Like 4
    Dislike 1
  67. Radio Rich says:

    Hahahaha hahahaha hahahaha hahahaha!!!!

  68. Wiggy. says:

    Watch this space.

  69. So long says:

    This man is a te****ist. Why he stay so long?

  70. Burrrrrr says:

    The yellow site took down their report man. Wellsah!

    Like 10
  71. To Burrr says:

    LOL
    Yep, I noticed that this morning.

  72. Cha says:

    Thing to talk. More to come, stay tuned.

  73. Pooh says:

    When will they investigate those on the government breast? The ones that been milking for years.. all of a sudden, them giving loans all willy nilly

  74. Smitty says:

    Maybe now Customs can do some real work. Stop harassing business and actually stop the drugs and guns coming into the BVI?
    Funny how Customs never make no drug gun bust?

    Like 11
    Dislike 1
  75. Hello says:

    Wrong dept.

  76. God is watching says:

    Wa she do?

  77. God is watching says:

    Why dem ain’t touching that bully from the C****Rep*****g U**t?? She was held sometime back.

    Like 1
    Dislike 1
  78. Hmm says:

    Plenty PWD backhoe and truck building private houses and doing personal work for friends and family

    Like 14
  79. @smithy says:

    How about ppl stop living on they boat, stop lying about not doing charters, start paying tax, nd stop thinking because they YT with a lil inheritance money they can come to my BVI and BREAK OUT LAWS!

    Like 4
    Dislike 10
  80. SIMONE says:

    UP NEXT IS HOSPITAL WITH ALL THAT S**T FLOATING IN HIGH OFFICES , AND PENSION OFFICE LETS HEAR HOW MUCH THEM THIEF FROM PENSION OFFICE AND HOSPITAL THEY WORK HEAD IN HEAD AND SEND THIER A%% TO PRISON , IS FIFIRST ISLAND I SEE PEOPLE STEAL IN THE OPEN SO AND LIKE ITS THE NORM

    Like 6
    Dislike 1
  81. agree! says:

    Stay and home with full pay and dont change your ways – nothing to see here. Nothing ever changes

  82. cha says:

    Customa and immigration have been corrupt for a very long time. About time something was done!!!

  83. No invitation says:

    All mouth on blast like them have no pride ,Go home, back to where all you all come from. Here looking handout off this territory, pack up and go back. How you get here, a territory full of every nation in the world. That man is a US Citizen .. set of banana picking fools. Belonger, no sah go back where you belong.

    Like 2
    Dislike 6
  84. Jah says:

    God left the bvi years ago

  85. Elsa says:

    Why didn’t you leave with him???

  86. Bingo says:

    Another drug bust tonight. Once again its the police with customs nowhere in sight. Throw the key away.

  87. Papi says:

    @Cha looks like whenever the public suggests who to investigate is when they act on it. I should throw a name out here and see if they will indeed do something.

  88. Ritter says:

    His big friend

  89. SMH! says:

    Yeah! Like the former Minister of Health who is under investigation?

  90. Spy says:

    AMEN!! Too many undercover racists here in the BVI! They live among US!

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