🔫 Local drug demand driving gun smuggling in Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands are experiencing a surge in gun smuggling, driven primarily by the local demand for drugs. This was revealed at a recent meeting about escalating violence held in West Bay, where it was disclosed that there are at least 90 illegal firearms currently on the streets. Key figures at the meeting, including Commissioner of Police Kurt Walton and Deputy Premier André Ebanks, highlighted the connection between the drug trade and firearm smuggling. Walton stated that every 200lbs of ganja brought into the Cayman Islands is accompanied by a gun. The demand for cocaine was also identified as a significant factor contributing to the crime wave.🔫

The meeting was attended by approximately 150 people and was convened to discuss a recent shooting at the Ed Bush Stadium, where seven people were injured, three of them seriously. The incident has raised concerns about the rising gun violence across the district. During the meeting, attendees also expressed concerns about long-standing social issues, such as the importation of poverty through the provision of work permits for low-paid workers and the inadequacies of social safety nets. Walton assured the community that he would do everything in his power to address the escalating gun violence, which he attributed to the "insatiable appetite" of young men in the Cayman Islands for guns.🚨

Walton also pointed out the role of those who enable and protect individuals involved in serious crime. He referred to those financing the drug and gun smuggling as "the merchants of evil" and vowed to pursue them. The deputy premier offered supplementary funding to the police to combat crime and stressed the need to strengthen the social safety net to prevent the next generation from falling into criminal activities. Ebanks also called for more pressure on the business community to conduct random drug testing, as the use of expensive Class A drugs increases the demand for guns and threatens national security.👮‍♂️