PHILIPSBURG:--- Officers from the TBO team ransacked the home of the of Robelto Flanders in Pointe Blanche, and the managing director of Robelto and Sons Miguel Flanders on Tuesday morning. By afternoon the team of investigators went to the home of Leroy LaPaix in Sucker Garden and conducted a house search. LaPaix is currently off the island while the investigators conduct what they call an administrative search.
SMN News learned that the investigators also searched the office of Robelto and Sons Office on the Landfill. The searches on Tuesday is connected to the criminal investigation pertaining to the Landfill (DUMP).
It should be noted that the former Minister of Health Maria Buncamper-Molanus is the accountant for Robelto and Sons.
It should be noted that the Dump investigations have two parts, one being the criminal investigation and the other relates to the health and environment.
The spokesman for the TBO team Roderick Gouverneur confirmed that searches are ongoing and more information will be made available later in the day.
TBO Investigating the Dump
The garbage dump on Sint Maarten, also called sanitary landfill, has been a reason for worry for many years. This is mainly because of the size, the method of management and the health risks it entails. In addition, signals of corruption and serious crime exist around the tender of the relevant management contracts. The Public Prosecutor’s Office in Sint Maarten started an investigation in 2018 that focuses on the environment, public health and safety.
In July 2018, a separate investigation was started by the TBO, the anti-corruption task force of the Criminal Investigation Team (RST). This criminal investigation focuses on criminal acts around the procurement of contracts related to waste processing on Sint Maarten. With special attention to official corruption: accepting bribes and bribery of civil servants. On 04 December 2018, TBO carried out house searches at various locations in the context of this investigation. The research is currently in full swing. More actions are not excluded.
The TBO is a collaboration between the criminal investigation team (RST) and the Public Prosecutor's Office in Curaçao, Sint Maarten and Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. The TBO specializes in tackling financial-economic crime and, among other things, conducts research into corruption such as tax fraud, forgery and money laundering. To ensure the proper functioning of the democratic society, it is important that citizens have confidence in public administration. Official corruption is a phenomenon with many manifestations that mainly occurs at the interface of public-private interests. Corruption affects the integrity of the government and leads to fake competition in business.If you want to share signals about corruption with the TBO, you can do so via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can also call or WhatsApp via telephone number + (1721) 553 38 56.
