BVI News

BVI’s border restrictions cause stockpile of drugs for police to find

Her Majesty’s Customs is one of the local law enforcement agencies providing enhanced border patrols as the territory closes its ports of entry because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The government’s border restrictions that have been in place for a year now has caused an irregular build-up of illicit drugs in the territory.

Police Commissioner Michael Matthews put forward that hypothesis during a joint press conference to discuss the state of crime in the BVI with Premier Andrew Fahie and Governor John Rankin.

Matthews said this positioned the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) to make major drug busts such as the 2,300 kilos of cocaine seized back in November 2020.

“I believe that it is possible that the effective COVID travel restrictions that our government have placed on the territory in order to protect us all has created a stockpile and that’s the reason for such large quantities being found here,” the commissioner stated.

“Whilst we’ve recorded seizures over the years since I’ve been commissioner and before, I believe unique to this situation is the quantity and the short period of time during which these seizures are being made,” he added.

The top cop said the RVIPF has been tracking the drug trade and noted that illicit substances such as cocaine come from South America.

Colombia, for example, is reportedly producing more cocaine now than in its entire history.

“So we know that there is an increase in production in South America and we know that our geographic location makes us an attractive route through to the US and also to Europe,” the commissioner explained.

“We do a lot of work behind the scenes. But what we did realise over the last few months is, whilst we knew that the cocaine was still moving around, we weren’t seeing it moving around as much. We were seeing that it was just disappearing and stopping– not coming out the other end. So, that kind of guided us to say, ‘where is it stopping?’,” Matthews added.

“And the BVI — whilst we’ve had some headline seizures — won’t be the only location in the Caribbean or indeed the world where there may be stockpiles of illicit drugs at the moment,” he stated.

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9 Comments

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  1. strupes says:

    but it came in during the same restrictions

    Like 30
    Dislike 1
  2. To Top Cop says:

    So when are you assuming the drugs arrived and “stockpiled” in the BVI, before or during the lock-down?

    Like 13
  3. Ground sea says:

    The faster these drug dealers and runners kill out each other the better ah dun talk

    Like 16
    Dislike 4
    • Madness says:

      REALLY? Them turning the place into a cowboy town is of no concern to you? Hope it ain’t you get caught in the cross fire next?

  4. Colombia says:

    The nation is Colombia, the other one, Columbia is a small city in South Carolina, a University and a Sportswear company.

    Like 18
    Dislike 1
  5. Hmmmm says:

    So if Colombia are producing more cocaine and the busts globally are not increasing at a drastic rate, what does that tell you? The war on drugs is a complete farce and as long as the EUR/US folks continue to ride the white horse, it will be smuggled forever and ever amen!

    Like 15
    Dislike 2
  6. @TO TOP COP says:

    he got the drugs AND he doesn’t have to inform you and THE YOUR drug family how they operate ( and now those crime families are coming for you all loosing their white gold – because they have to answer to someone else

  7. U mean the ship says:

    Yea and it cause violence and death wen u all know wen it came and all that but cant put a lid on the mess u all open up …not even to clean ur own force up that is envole mr commissioner

    Like 3
    Dislike 4
  8. Bamboo says:

    Dead man tells no lies…

    The police have all the leads they need by following the scent of the demise

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