And with more drugs come more guns, which are finding their way to the island - many of them coming in by sea from Mexico.
Yesterday the commissioner put forward some big numbers fo gun seizures, but we challenged him on that:
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"And I can tell you that since the beginning of this year, San Pedro police have removed over 20 firearms off the streets, including some very high -powered weapons, and over 400 rounds of ammunition."
Jules Vasquez
"Certainly, we haven't seen 20 guns reported to us. Now, I know you all don't report this, like when Mr. Noble found the grenade. You all don't report this because you all don't want to create fear on the island because it's a tourism product."
"But when you don't report it, when there's not a culture or a strict policy of reporting all weapons found, then it creates a space for the police to improvise with weapons found. Sometimes they don't end up where they should end up."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"I don't know, Jules, but I challenge you to go back into your archives. As I said, from the beginning of the year, about 20 firearms have been removed and over 300 rounds of ammunition. And I know for a fact that whatever these seizures are made, Ms. Hortence put them on the blog. So go back and check your record and then we'll see. But if you don't have it, after you have done your check, let me know."
Jules Vasquez
"Are you concerned that, yes, you've had a good year for firearm seizures, but it's only a sample size. It's indicative that there is a frightening number of cartel -influenced firearms on the island."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"We have to understand, Jules, that San Pedro Island is somewhat connected to Xcalak, Mexico. There is that open waters between San Pedro and Mexico. And we cannot be naive to think that that route is not been used as a transit point for firearm trafficking as well as drugs. As a matter of fact, I think that there is a boat that comes from Mexico to San Pedro almost on a daily basis. And so we cannot dismiss that. And that's the reason why we put our FOB in that area and why the Coast Guard base is also in that area. But again, the waters are open. When we do have one patrol in the area, that's like needle a haystack, concerning the openness of the sea."
We can confirm that police have not sent out notices of 20 guns seized on San Pedro this year.
