(Trinidad Express) Two homes in Maraval which are occupied by businessman Adrian Scoon were searched yesterday by officers of the Western Division.
Scoon, the son of Trade Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon, is at the centre of an investigation in which police officers shut down a party on board the MV Ocean Pelican vessel on Boxing Day for allegedly operating contrary to the Public Health Ordinance.
Shortly after midday yesterday, officers arrived at Scoon’s residence at the La Rive townhouse complex in Maraval, where they executed a search warrant in Scoon’s presence. His attorneys, led by Kiel Taklalsingh, visited the home while over a dozen officers searched the home, police said.
The officers were searching for a special liquor licence which Scoon obtained to hold the event on the Ocean Pelican while it was docked at Chaguaramas.
Investigators wanted to determine who would have signed off on the licence, police sources told the Express.
Scoon said the licence was no longer still in his possession, saying it had been returned to the Comptroller of Customs and Excise. The investigators were also told this by Taklalsingh and his team, police sources indicated.
Police continued their search of the two homes occupied by Scoon.
Up to last night, the officers were still searching, a senior police source confirmed.
Taklalsingh confirmed the search took place, but had no further comment.
Investigations into incident on the MV Ocean Pelican are being conducted by acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Wendell Williams.
On Tuesday, the investigators met with Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard, SC, for advice on how best to move forward.
Investigators are hopeful that by the end of this week, investigations will be completed, and they will have instructions on how to proceed.
On Monday, UNC Senator Wade Mark held a news conference and called on acting Commissioner of Police McDonald Jacob to include Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi in the investigation, with one of the allegations being that Scoon reached out to the AG after police stopped the event on the MV Ocean Pelican.
Scoon and over 100 people were detained and later released.
Police are trying to determine if the boat was being used as a party boat, in contravention of the Public Health Ordinance.
Scoon has denied it was being used as a party boat but, rather, a floating restaurant.
He said previously he sought advice from Al-Rawi, which the Attorney General later denied.
Finance Minister Colm Imbert also sought to remove himself from the issue, saying he did not authorise or approve Scoon’s special restaurant licence and another special licence.
On Sunday, Scoon issued a release admitting he contacted Al-Rawi on Boxing Day when his vessel had been intercepted.
However, he clarified that the call took place at the event on the boat, and not the Carenage Police Station.
Referring to the publication of a Sunday Express story headlined “AG on the line”, Scoon said with “respect to the allegation that I called the Attorney General while in custody at the Carenage Station I wish to categorically deny such an allegation and state that it is simply untrue. I did place a call to the AG when police first arrived on the vessel; I was not in custody at the station at that time.
“The AG initially did not answer his phone. He then returned the call and when I explained to him what was taking place, he told me in summary that it was a police matter and to let the police do their job.”
Scoon also said, contrary to what was reported about a lack of safe-zone signs on board his vessel, “even the blind could have seen these safe-zone signs and I have in my possession video evidence of those signs affixed in prominent places in my possession. All safe-zone protocols were observed”.
Scoon could not be reached for comment, as calls to his cellphone went unanswered last night.
