Last week, 7News broke the story of the second flare up of tensions between Franks Eddy neighbors Michael Modiri and Bradley Paumen who are bitter business rivals, and personal enemies. It's well known that Modiri has reported that Paumen tried to get him killed. Paumen told us last week that all the accusations which Modiri has made against him are false and malicious.
But, as we told you, these are two investors who want to carve out a piece of the cruise tourism industry for themselves. They're both interested cave tubing, where Bradley Paumen has already started running a million dollar enterprise, an idea which Modiri claims Paumen stole from him. Mix in the court battles for trespass, which Modiri won, and the rivalry has only deepened.
That's because Modiri has made an active stance at the start of this cruise season to block Paumen from entering his land, something Paumen needs to do to get to the Dark Night Cave system. It's causing a major loss in earning, which is hurting workers from Franks Eddy, and so a lot is on the line. So, that confrontation we've been speculating on sort of sparked last week Monday when Bradley Paumen went head to head with Modiri's head of Security, Jerome Crawford.
We've managed to secure a recording Paumen made when he was trying to get Modiri's security to move his truck. That caused some hard talk from both men, and Crawford had his shotgun on him at the time. Here's how that tense exchange went:
Jerome Crawford - Director, Crew Security & Executive Escorts
"We could do this peacefully Mr. Bradley or we could do this the hard way. that's up to you."
Bradley Paumen - CEO, Dark Night Cave Tubing Adventures
"Let's go do it the easy way. You move your vehicle."
Jerome Crawford
"No, you go for my guy and bring him to me."
Bradley Paumen
"No, I'm not going to have anybody get in my vehicle, tell somebody to get in my vehicle to come and get a key. I'm not going to tell anybody what to do."
Jerome Crawford
"Well then you do what you have to do. Just keep your hands where I could see them please. We don't want any mistakes here."
Bradley Paumen
"So you are threatening me, you are threatening my security."
Jerome Crawford
"I talk to the guy nice and asked him to please go and get you. He said you are somewhere. I told him this is a public road, I will park the vehicle here and I will walk peacefully. I don't want any problems. That's what I told you guy and he agreed. He called you, you came. I have work to do, you have work to do."
Bradley Paumen
"You go move your vehicle right now."
Jerome Crawford
"You go and get my guy to come for the key and move it."
Bradley Paumen
"You need to tell him what your name is."
Jerome Crawford
"My name? You don't need to know that."
Bradley Paumen
"You cross my property, you are blocking my property, you are blocking me from entering my property and you won't tell me your name."
Jerome Crawford
"You will find that out when the cops come."
Bradley Paumen
"No go ahead right now, tell it."
This afternoon, after we visited the Modiri blockade for ourselves, Crawford was taken into custody by the police. We checked with the Belmopan Commander and he told us that it is due to "firearms related" offences. Police have been monitoring the area because of increased tensions.
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