Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos has battled illegal trafficking in the southern approaches to the U.S. since 1982. Recent operations have uncovered increasing links between the smuggling of human beings and illegal drugs. U.S. COAST GUARD
THE WATCH STAFF
The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) police and military collaborated with the U.S. Coast Guard in August and September 2024 to seize more than $3 million in marijuana on the southeastern seaborne approaches to the United States. The cooperating forces detained 212 undocumented migrants in one bust in which they also seized more than $2 million in marijuana, a combination that TCI authorities said is becoming more common in Caribbean smuggling routes. The operations also demonstrated the interoperability and coordination among three separate agencies to quickly respond to an elusive smuggling operation in a remote and challenging domain.
The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force Marine Branch and the Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment acted in concert during a September 16, 2024, operation, which began after a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter spotted a small vessel east of South Caicos acting suspiciously. The vessel was grounded by its three operators, who disappeared into heavy brush. The Coast Guard helped TCI forces overcome the challenging terrain by transporting TCI Regiment Soldiers to the location where they located five bags containing 38 packages of marijuana. The pot haul of 95 kilograms had an estimated street value of $931,600, according to Magnetic Media, a Caribbean news site. “The Royal Turks and Caicos Island Police Force expresses gratitude to the TCI Regiment and international partners as we continue to dismantle illegal organizations through coordinated and targeted operations,” read a statement from the TCI Police, according to the news site.
South Caicos, 35 kilometers to the west of Grand Turk, is part of the South and East Caicos District, a 137-square-kilometer area. The sparsely populated islands, a haven for pirates centuries ago, are now increasingly threatened by transnational criminal organizations (TCO), which smuggle undocumented migrants, drugs and guns.
In August 2024, the TCI Border Force apprehended more than 200 undocumented migrants from Haiti and Jamaica who were being smuggled along with nearly $3 million in marijuana. The operation was one of many recent examples of how criminal organizations now mix smuggling of human beings and drugs in dangerous voyages in dilapidated, aging vessels. TCI authorities announced in early September 2024 that they are continuing to investigate the links between drugs and human trafficking in TCI’s territory. Minister of Immigration and Border Services Arlington Musgrove said the August bust demonstrates the importance of “securing our borders and keeping our communities safe.”
The participation of the Coast Guard in the recent TCI operations dates to the early 1980s when TCI, the Bahamas and the United States law enforcement agreed to stem illegal trafficking in the region.