US probing St Elizabeth businessman in cash-smuggling case at Sangster airport; granted $2M bail

The Jamaican businessman who is facing criminal charges for allegedly attempting to smuggle more than US$270,000 into the country hidden in soap boxes is under investigation by United States (US) authorities, prosecutors have revealed.

Further, prosecutors indicated in court on Tuesday that Shawn Walker, 34, who resides in the Crawford district of St Elizabeth, could face additional charges in Jamaica following a forensic examination of his cell phone.

The disclosures were made in the St James Parish Court, where Walker was offered bail in the sum of $2 million despite strong objections from prosecutors and police investigators.

A stop order has been placed on him at the ports, and he has been ordered to surrender his travel documents to authorities and report to the Black River police on Mondays and Thursdays.

Among the reasons cited by prosecutors for opposing bail were the ongoing probe by US law enforcement agencies into Walker and his refusal to give local investigators access to his cell phone despite being served with a production order.

However, his attorney, Donnovan Collins, said the judge who heard the bail application made the “correct” decision, arguing that the law is clear that bail should not be withheld as “punishment” or based on the seriousness of the alleged crimes.

Collins said he is awaiting full disclosure of the evidence in the case so he can properly prepare for Walker's trial.

The businessman is scheduled to return to court on July 1.

He was arrested at the Sangster International Airport in St James on June 7 shortly after returning to the island aboard a flight from the state of New Jersey, the Financial Investigations Division (FID) confirmed in a public statement at the time.

The FID said that during routine checks, personnel from the Jamaica Customs Agency became suspicious of items in Walker’s luggage.

A manual search allegedly revealed 28 sealed boxes of Irish Spring bath soap containing large sums of US currency, the FID said.

The cash was counted and amounted to US$270,580.

The FID claimed that Walker was unable to provide satisfactory proof that the money was lawfully obtained.

- Livern Barrett

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