Turks and Caicos Islands and Bahamas collaborate to deter illegal trafficking

Officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (Marine Unit), with assistance from the Royal Bahamas Defence  Force, intercept a vessel carrying undocumented migrants near West Caicos in August 2024. ROYAL TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS POLICE FORCE

THE WATCH STAFF

The heightened political, economic and social unrest in Haiti has increased security challenges in the southeastern approaches to the United States. The instability has contributed to increased collaboration and interoperability between key partners in the Caribbean including the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) and the United States. In August 2024, a flurry of interceptions of undocumented migrants and drugs occurred over several days. The interdictions demonstrated both the heightened security challenges to patrolling vast areas of open seas and the innovative cooperation that has led to successful deterrence to regional threats from transnational criminal organizations (TCO).

On August 16, 2024, a team of Royal Turks and Caicos Island Police Force (RTCIPF) officers responded to a report of an undocumented migrant landing at Bird Rock, Providenciales. After detaining 15 migrants, officers searched the landing spot and found $131,660 worth of marijuana, according to an RTCIPF Facebook post. The next day, RTCIPF Marine Unit officers received a tip about an illegal migrant vessel in Jones Cay. Police found two vessels with 41 migrants, including 32 men, six women and three minors. The officers also found $2.7 million in marijuana in the boats, the post stated.

Two more interceptions of migrant vessels in TCI waters in the following two days involved collaborative efforts with the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF). The seizures were made by the RTCIPF Marine Unit with assistance from the RBDF near West Caicos and Providenciales. On August 18, RTCIPF and RBDF forces intercepted a vessel with 144 migrants near West Caicos. The vessel was escorted to Providenciales, and the migrants were turned over to the TCI Border Force for processing. Five minors were aboard the vessel along with 32 women and 112 men, according to a Facebook post from the RTCIPF. Six hours later, a second interdiction took place near Long Bay, Providenciales. RTCIPF Marine Unit officers intercepted another vessel containing 17 migrants, including 10 men, seven women and one minor, according to a news release from the RTCIPF.

“The RTCIPF extends gratitude to its local and international partners, including the RBDF, the [U.S.] Coast Guard, TCI Border Force and TCI Regiment,” the posts stated, referring to the investigations, which remain active. RTCIPF Commissioner Edvin Martin reminded traffickers that they can be sentenced to four years in prison and fined $20,000. Illegal trafficking of people and drugs endangers migrants and law-abiding citizens, he said. “The journey that illegal migrants take across the sea to arrive in the Turks and Caicos Islands is treacherous, which endangers their lives. Additionally, the trafficking of illicit contraband, such as cannabis, into the Turks and Caicos Islands is an offense with serious penalties. The RTCIPF and its law enforcement partners are resolute in finding the people involved in the smuggling of people and trafficking of illegal drugs and will pursue all leads to bring them to justice,” Martin said.

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