Drugs Sou-Sou shut down – for now

THE Drugs Sou-Sou (DSS) is now on an indefinite pause after police seized $7.7 million in three raids at its La Horquetta base.

In a late-night live message on Facebook on Friday, DSS founder Kerron Clarke said while he is working with his legal team, led by Senior Counsel Sophia Chote, to rectify the situation, his hands are tied.

But he began his update by saying, "I intend to keep all promises."

He said when a warrant was executed at his home at Kathleen Warner Drive, La Horquetta, on Tuesday, police took not only the cash but all documents and electronic devices related to investors.

"They would have seized documents down to my personal moneylending business. They came with their clear intentions and they executed what they had to do.

"With all our records, electronics and receipts and close to $8 million of your money seized, we are at a standstill temporarily, until this situation is rectified."

Police from the Financial Intelligence Branch got permission from an Arima magistrate to detain the $6.4 million seized on Tuesday for an initial three months. They can apply to keep the money longer at the end of that time if investigations are still going on.

The money was seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act and will be deposited into an interest-earning account until the final determination.

Clarke said the money was seized and "tied up in a system."

Clarke said the GoFundMe crowdfunding page which was started on Thursday to pay his legal costs was flagged and pulled down after it generated over US$4,000 out of the requested US$100,000.

He also said his business account at JMMB was closed and he was given a manager's cheque and told to take his business elsewhere.

His Tobago branch is also at a standstill, he said, as all the tools and logistics needed to expand it were also seized by the police.

"We are not taking this light,” he said, “and I stress we are working very hard at this. Thank you."