WILLEMSTAD - Among the nine individuals arrested during a major police operation on Friday is Stanton Elhage, a 34-year-old man mentioned online as a key suspect with alleged connections within the Curaçaoan government. Reports suggest Elhage may be involved in the sale of bulletproof vests to the police, as well as potential money laundering activities. However, the police have not confirmed these rumors and emphasized that the investigation is ongoing.
The Curaçao police have also stated that the social media reports circulating are inaccurate. These reports suggest that Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas and Justice Minister Shalton Hato were involved in the recent September 6 raids. Allegations claim that both government officials frequently visited one of the raided locations and that the government instructed the police to withhold official information about the raids.
Social media rumors further allege that Prime Minister Pisas personally purchased Campo Alegre, intending to lease the complex to the criminal underworld to facilitate money laundering. The prime minister is also rumored to act as a messenger for the underworld, traveling between Dubai and Curaçao. “Don’t forget his trips to Dubai, where he has yet to provide Parliament with details about these so-called work-related trips,” an anonymous source stated.
These rumors suggest that Dutch law enforcement has been investigating these matters for some time and that arrests of Curaçaoan government officials may be imminent. There are also rumors regarding the purchase of weapons in Sta. Rosa, with allegations that certain officials received bribes in connection with these transactions.
The police have categorically denied all of these accusations, stressing that there have been no directives from the government to withhold information. They attributed the delay in releasing details to the complexity of the investigation and the data collection process by the investigation teams. “As of last night, the investigation team was still analyzing the data, which is why no press release was issued,” the police explained.
Major Operation
On September 6, early morning judicial searches were carried out at ten different locations, including Sta. Rosa, Jongbloed, and Sunset Heights. This large-scale operation, conducted by the police in collaboration with RST (Dutch Caribbean Special Police Task Force), Customs, and the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, resulted in the arrest of nine individuals and the seizure of weapons, ammunition, drugs, and vehicles.
Curaçaoan authorities continue to investigate and urge the public not to jump to conclusions based on unverified information circulating on social media.
