Migrants are escorted by officers of the Turks and Caicos Marine Branch and the Fisheries and Marine Resources Management on February 17, 2025. ROYAL TURNKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS POLICE FORCE
THE WATCH STAFF
In a major operation, law enforcement apprehended 148 migrants in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) after their vessel was intercepted on February 17, 2025. The interdiction involved a coordinated effort by multiple agencies, including the Marine Branch, Fisheries and Marine Resources Management, the TCI Regiment, TCI Border Force, the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies, the Maritime Operations Centre, and the United States Coast Guard.
The vessel was towed to the South Dock Port with 109 males and 39 females aboard, including two minors, a statement from the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) said. The travelers were handed over to Border Force for processing. NewslineTCI, a news website, reported that they were Haitian migrants.
Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police for Strategic Operations Mat Newton expressed gratitude to law enforcement agencies that help intercept vessels trying to enter the TCI illegally. “Your diligence and collaboration have been crucial in safeguarding and protecting our borders,” he said. “I want to emphasize further the RT&CIPF’s firm stance against illegal entry into the TCI. Apart from the legal implications, there are also significant risks to life.”
He urged those assisting the illegal crossings to reconsider, saying, “Do not endanger your life or the lives of others by embarking on such hazardous journeys.” He thanked community members who report suspicious activities, and he encouraged the public to remain vigilant and continue supporting law enforcement.
The RTCIPF released statistics for the year up to February 17 that show 296 migrants have been intercepted in four separate incidents. The total includes 234 males and 62 females; among them are three minors.
The February interdiction was reported just a month after the RTCIPF and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced they had expanded their strategic partnership in a move to strengthen security and combat criminal activities. “As part of this collaboration, RTCIPF Tactical Unit officers underwent advanced helicopter tactical rescue specialist training in the Bahamas,” the RTCIPF said in a Facebook post on January 20. “Delivered by DEA agents and their Tactical Helicopter Section, the training equipped officers with critical skills to deploy rapidly from helicopters, addressing challenges in TCI’s remote and difficult-to-access areas.”
After the intensive four-day program, Superintendent Jason James, head of the RTCIPF Tactical Unit, noted the importance of the initiative: “This collaboration demonstrates our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our communities. The helicopter fast rope specialist training has enabled our officers to respond swiftly and effectively to criminal threats, no matter where they arise across the TCI.”
The exercise was conducted under Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos (OPBAT), a decades-old trilateral counternarcotics operation among the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the United States. OPBAT aims to prevent and detect criminal activities, including drug trafficking and organized crime.
“The partnership with the DEA under Op BAT underscores our shared dedication to preventing and detecting criminal activities, including drug trafficking and organized crime,” James said. “This effort strengthens the RTCIPF’s operational capacity and contributes to a robust, multiagency approach to professional law enforcement.”
DEA representatives commended the RTCIPF’s proactive measures, saying, “The Turks and Caicos Islands are a vital partner in the fight against transnational crime. Through this joint effort, we are enhancing the capability of local forces to protect their citizens and disrupt criminal networks.”
In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on February 13, 2025, Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, commander of United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and North American Aerospace Defense Command, cited “illicit networks used by criminal cartels” to traffic drugs. “The narcotics smuggled into the United States by transnational criminal organizations are directly responsible for tens of thousands of deaths each year, and USNORTHCOM will continue to work with partners in reducing the flow of illicit drugs into the United States.”