By PAUL G TURNQUEST

Chief Reporter

pturnquest@tribunemedia.net

POLICE are investigating a possible connection between an employee at the Lynden Pindling International Airport and a businessman in Grand Bahama, who are said to be the main facilitators in a human smuggling ring.

These individuals are the topic of discussion in official diplomatic correspondence between the Embassy of Turkey, and the Bahamas’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the disappearance of two Turkish nationals – Veysi Oral, and Huseyin Oskan in March of 2012.

The two men were a part of a group of 19 individuals who disappeared at sea as they attempted to illegally enter the United States by way of Grand Bahama.

Both Oral and Oskan had reportedly been working illegally in Grand Bahama for some time when they were approached by the Grand Bahama businessman who persuaded them that they could make “more money” if they worked in the United States.

Promising them safe passage into Miami for $6,000, the men paid the fee and were bundled into a go-fast boat with 10 Dominicans, and seven Jamaicans on March 9, 2012. None of these men has been seen since.

In a communiqué to the Bahamas Ministry of Foreign Affairs from their offices in Havana, Cuba, the Turkish Embassy listed the names of the individuals who are suspected to be involved in the smuggling operation.

“The relatives of the missing Turkish nationals believe that the persons whose names and telephones numbers are listed below are somehow responsible for the missing Turkish nationals and deem it necessary that they must be interrogated to have some evidence for the case,” the letter reads.

The letter concluded that it hoped the Bahamas government would give the case its “highest consideration.”

In documents provided to The Tribune by the uncle and cousin of the two Turkish men, Nayif Gumus showed how payments were made to these two Bahamian men, ranging from $1,200 in one instance, to $2,093 in the other.

Mr Gumus believes that these men, and a young boat captain, and his father, know what really happened with his relatives.

In one audio recording of dozens logged between Mr Gumus and the alleged smugglers, one of the main facilitators warned Mr Gumus that he would have him “arrested” if he were to come to the Bahamas.

“You are all about besmirching my name. I told you I don’t have anything more to say on that. I have told the police to look out for you and arrest you if you come here,” the individual said.

Mr Gumus responded in the positive. He said he would be arriving in the Bahamas, and pressed the smuggler as to the condition of his relatives before the call abruptly ended.

“I am here for my nephew and my cousin. They came here, but I believe they have been kidnapped for their organs. (Name omitted) knows what has happened to these people,” he said.

In his quest for answers, Mr Gumus also reached out to the boat captain – whose telephone continued to work up until April 20th, despite the fact that he was alleged to have drowned in March with the rest of his passengers.

According to telephone records supplied to this newspaper, calls to the cellphone are logged with durations of 2 minutes and 24 seconds on Wednesday, April 18, 2012, with the phone being logged in as located in Grand Bahama.