PHILIPSBURG - This morning another house search took place in the Emerald-investigation. The search took place at an abandoned office building on the Van Goghstraat, but where the tenant had left records and computers behind.

 

During search by the special anti-corruption taskforce, TBO of the Kingdom Detectives Cooperation Team, RST and led by the investigative judge, digital data carriers and records were confiscated. The investigation is still in full swing and possible new searches and/or arrests cannot ruled out.

 

The Emerald-investigation started in April 2016, following reports in the newspapers and questions asked in Parliament about the contract signed between the suspect’s security company the port authority of St. Maarten. During this investigation suspicions arose about tax fraud, forgery and money laundering.

 

The investigation is part of a joint intensified fight against international fraud and corruption. Corruption and money laundering threatens the security and economy of the countries in the Caribbean part of the Dutch Kingdom. The special anti-corruption taskforce, TBO of the RST, together with the National Detectives Agencies (Landsrecherches) of Curaçao and Sint Maarten and the Prosecutor’s Office have joined forces to combat corruption.