HM Customs intercepts $34K marijuana shipment from US
Officers of Her Majesty’s Customs recently intercepted a shipment containing some 3,460 grams of marijuana imported into the territory from the United States.
Speaking on ZBVI radio about the incident, Acting Senior Officer of the Customs K-9 Unit, Kambi Braithwaite, said the estimated value of the find was about $34,000.
Braithwaite said that in recent months his K-9 officers (dogs) and their handlers have intercepted numerous packages containing contraband; the majority of which have proven to be the illicit drug, marijuana.
“Over the last two to four months, there have been over 6,000 grams of marijuana found,“ Braithwaite said.
He said these finds were made mostly at the warehouses of some of the permanent courier services located in the territory and said most of the drug shipments come from the USA.
Describing it as a ‘tedious process’, Braithwaite said no arrests have been made in relation to any of the finds as persons often use aliases to send and receive packages; making it harder to detect the culprits.
He also indicated that HM Customs does not insist that courier services contact recipients in instances where contraband has been found because it is against their policy.
Customs working with police get arrests
Despite this setback, Braithwaite said management and staff of these courier services have continued to be in full cooperation with Customs in assisting with their investigations.
He noted, too, that work continues with the intelligence unit of the police force to achieve a more efficient outcome in arresting persons responsible for these crimes.
Braithwaite further explained that the presence of the K-9 Unit is indicative of some measure of deterrence to those involved in the shipment of illicit imports.
He also expressed thanks to his team for their continued commitment, especially under the challenges experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic so far.
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awww… that’s cute. Look at those lil’ Customs guys trying to pretend they’re trying to stop the drug trade. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bvi-cocaine-idUSKBN27R160
Awesome job Kambi
Continue to make you, your family, the department and by extension the Territory proud. Thank you for keeping us safe we are very proud of your accomplishments.
Customs continue to be an integral part in protecting our borders.
Is this what you burning ? ( again) up the dump site this morning
Legalize for recreational use and we can grow our own. Job done. Then you can use your limited resources to concentrate on hard drugs and real problems.
Legalize for recreational use and we can grow our own. Job done. Then you can use your limited resources to concentrate on hard drugs and real problems.
You cannot legalize it or you take the profit out of it and what are all the dealers , who mainly vote, going to do to survive .
Here is a bright idea- dem goin’ look wuk!!! I vote too and dohn hustle. You’re point is moot!
This story sounds off. How can you have arrests if you don’t wait for the persons to collect the suspicious package(s)?
On one hand government officials pushing for marijuana plants for business paraquita bay and on the other ppl going jail for weed?? Make it make sense. So you only approve when you make money off it? Is that why the kilos of coke are allowed?Like it’s the islands … pure Rasta LET PPL SMOKE!!!!! Grow up Tortola these antiquated views is what’s causing lack of progression. It’s lowkey safer to walk around with 300 kilos o coke than to smoke a spliff down there..lol.
BVI needs to get the cannabis industry up and running. SVG is already in the export business. So any drugs seized can be put to good use!!
this is what happens when the local rasta farmers are arrested over the years. Demand remains and the market goes right into the hands of serious criminal organizations.
As a civil servant thank you for your service
are we importing medical marijuana now? I thought we were exporting?>
I just want to kno why custom officers are so hungry and can’t afford anything and always begging people for money officer b he self be hungry but looking fame over reality check
Tell camby go sit down we kno what he up to that department will get shock when his name and his puppet master name get call the one he follows up and down every day like a clown
That same officer in that picture he trying sell a image but I don’t kno who is buying it surely ain’t me …
What a joke, no one will be arrested or prosecuted, nothing will come of this except raise the prices of herb. But look at you all playing heroes when real hard drugs (cocaine) flow through this place like and most of you(r) family are involved. Praise jesus
Been seeing K9 vehicles and the dogs almost everywhere at all kind of different courier businesses, but been wondering if they does make any stops. This is good to know now great job to the officer and his team.
We all know things are being imported so it always good to see redults in trying to prevent the importation of contraband.
So great job to customs and the canine team
What a joke. There is no intention to ever arrest the family or friends that are doing all this drug business. One set of rules for some and another set for themselves.
Why No arrest? The package must come to a name person. So why there is no follow up investigation by the police. I have to present an ID to sign up to receive packaged with the courier service. Last resort they can set up a sting to catch the persons when they collect the packages.
Why would anyone put the officer’s photo in this forum? How things happening isn’t this risky???♀️
Agreed to a extent but he’s the representative of the unit doesn’t mean he’s the doing the findings , the unit is a collection of officers
Even though the current government wants to export commercial marijuana the quality of the crop grown here is so bad that the dealers have to import their weed from other islands.
Tru dat!
AM wondering the same thing too ? and he had the heart to use the word ( HARD ) to detect the owners , because of FALSE NAMES ?
Why they put the young man picture up for every one to see who in this department digging up what going on
This is rediculous doctors lawyers you name it they’re all smoking weed in the privacy of their home. We really acting like we got no brains with this being illegal now look money is flowing out to the US for their outcast indoor product with god knows what’s been sprayed on it
Meanwhile it’s natural sunlight aplenty down here. The doctors will tell you what’s good when they’re allowed.
That’s not true. Tourist on the internet saying the best they’ve had was in the BVI. And what they’re importing as said in the article is from the US land of good weed not other islands hence the courier. Reading comprehension is a virtue.
That pop that’s coming from the States is reject from the markets up there is contaminated most likely and can’t be sold.
the pop or whatever other name that’s imported from the US is given a bath on coke ,heroine etc why you think they have so many CRACKHEADS on the street ? we are slowly becoming the wild wild west ( and some people want to introduce Casinos
Government trying to legalize the plant and you all still here calling it illicit drug ? In 2022 where I can go into a pharmacy and buy CBD oil and other products. The medical benefits have already been proven and its about time recreational use should be legalized. Remove the stigma and open up a new economic pillar.
PR is flooded with medical cannabis.