According to Nelson, the notorious guns for drugs trade, has played a central role in which marriages are organised as a cloak for criminal activities. *Photo credit: img378.imageshack.us

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – National Security Minister, Derrick Smith has appealed to Jamaicans not to facilitate what he has referred to as marriages of convenience involving criminals from the earthquake ravaged Haiti.

Nelson told Parliament on Friday that immigration authorities have taken note of a growing practice in which Jamaicans are being used as a window of opportunity for those who have run into trouble with the law in the French speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.

According to Nelson, the notorious guns for drugs trade, has played a central role in which marriages are organised as a cloak for criminal activities.

“In this regard the Ministry of National Security will continue to exercise its functions to protect the Jamaican people.

“I want to make a direct appeal to citizens not to facilitate illegal activities, particularly marriage of convenience with foreign criminals,” he said, adding that the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency” will be more vigilant in ensuring that these marriages of conveniences and other forms of deception are not used as a cover for furthering criminal activities”.

Nelson said that the local authorities have also been holding talks with officials in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica and other stakeholders in order to address the security threat posed by the guns for drugs trade.

On January 12, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 devastated Haiti, killing an estimated 200,000 people and leaving more than a third of the nine million population homeless.