PHILIPSBURG--The St. Maarten Police Force Patrol Unit and Immigration Department joined forces with the Customs Department on Thursday to conduct a country-wide preventative control.
According to police on Friday, the controls were held in an effort to alleviate potential criminal activities and secure the safety of all citizens and tourists visiting the island during the holiday high season.
The officers focused on checking permits of different business establishments and followed up on information received from the Community Police Officers from within their various assigned districts.
“The combined controls were conducted in the St. Peters, Dutch Quarter/Middle Region, in and around the town area and over the hill in the Simpson Bay/Cole Bay area during the evening hours, based on the gathered information.
“As a result, one person who was residing on the island illegally, as well as one person with a firearm and two persons who were publicly intoxicated were arrested and taken into the Philipsburg police station,” stated the police on Friday.
The firearm was confiscated and the possessor was held for questioning. The two persons who were intoxicated were given fines. The illegal resident was handed over to the Immigration Department.
Joint preventative controls will continue throughout the holiday season and thereafter. The St. Maarten Police Force requests all persons of the community to remain extra-vigilant during the busy season.
