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Kingston businessman slapped with more charges

THERE SEEMS TO be no end in sight for Paul Vascianne's troubles.

The Kingston businessman is charged with unlawful possession of 111 passports which were found when the police raided his home on January 8 of this year. However, when he appeared in court yesterday he was slapped with the additional charge of false declaration.

Vascianne, who is from Barbican, is charged jointly with Sharine Brown who is on forgery and conspiracy charges.

According to court files, Vascianne and Brown were arrested during a sting operation led by a Detective Sergeant Ebanks of the Matilda's Corner Police Station. During the raid, 111 passports which included Jamaican, United States, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom and Canadian, were reportedly found on the premises.

$1 million cash

In addition, the police found a quantity of cash totalling almost $1 million in a chest. Several passport sized photographs, a shredding machine, scanners, computers and computer ink were also allegedly found on the scene.

Yesterday, the court heard that the additional charges stemmed from new evidence unearthed by the police. Vascianne, it was revealed, had allegedly reported his passport as being lost but was later found with both. Brown was charged with forgery after a Canadian passport was found with her photo inside. Brown who was on bail was remanded in custody. Both accused persons will reappear in court today.