BVI News

Rico Penn charged in high seas drug bust

Police have now charged a fourth man in connection with a recent high-seas drug operation which netted a large quantity of controlled drugs.

Thirty-four-year-old Rico Penn of Fats Hogs Bay was charged with possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply to another, unlawful possession of a controlled drug, keeping an unlicensed firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition.

Penn was charged as the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) continues its inquiries into the cocaine, firearms, boat and ammunition seizure which was made following an operation last Wednesday.

One of the vessels seized by the RVIPF has since been stolen from the force’s marine base while the other was destroyed by a malicious fire as it laid nestled at the Road Town Police Station.

However, the RVIPF said no relevant information was destroyed in the arson at the station. The arson was blamed on criminal elements who police said acted in a calculated effort to destroy evidence.

Previously, police arrested and charged Brady Ghut resident Dion McMaster, 38, with the same four charges as Penn, while Zuri Reid, 40, and Ruth Gonzalez Tellez, 28, both of Belle Vue, were charged with keeping an unlicensed firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.

An additional three persons were arrested and released pending further investigations, the RVIPF said.

The force expressed its appreciation for the support and continued cooperation in its investigation which it described as ‘active and dynamic’, even as investigators continue to pursue several lines of inquiry.

“The support of law-abiding members of the community is reassuring and sustains an unwavering determination to continue efforts to keep serving and protecting the Virgin Islands,” the RVIPF said.

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42 Comments

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  1. DEA says:

    Why are there so many rental cars on island? Not talkin bout ones rented by tourists. Those driven by locals. There must be more rental cars person in Tortola than any other country in the world. Why is this cash based business so abundant here? Asking for a friend (the DEA).

    Like 53
    Dislike 10
  2. Malt says:

    Malt man u saving [him] again that’s how thing work when you a cop.

    Like 4
    Dislike 3
  3. JURY says:

    NOT GUILTY!

    Like 2
    Dislike 8
  4. Every dog has his day says:

    VINO cant break this news because dem bruk down

    Like 12
  5. Shaggy says:

    It wasn’t me

    Like 2
    Dislike 1
  6. Dilly says:

    Anyone noticed the increase in amount of cats in town? I heard from my aunt that witchcraft is on the rise. These evil cats will make our men go astray and stay out late at the club

    We need to purge the sins with bloodletting and dance

    Like 2
    Dislike 35
  7. i smile says:

    mines your d**n business and leave locals alone. the h**l local cant drive rental bull S

    Like 8
    Dislike 15
  8. WHAT?? says:

    The other boat was stolen???? WOW!!! Come on RVIPF , get your security in check SMH

    Like 21
    Dislike 1
  9. Dutty deeds says:

    Funny how when it’s y’all friends or family – y’all quick to bawl how they innocent. Sick set of MS!

    Like 13
    Dislike 3
  10. Memorial says:

    Every day he on face book quoting he gone silent now …

    Like 3
    Dislike 3
  11. Oh oh says:

    Picture please when is island man ayo quick t to put dem up

    Like 17
    Dislike 5
  12. @malt says:

    malt retired so long. He is no longer a police officer.

    Like 4
    Dislike 1
  13. Virgin Islander boy says:

    Virgin Islands slowly becoming like St. Croix and St. Thomas however these man slowly becoming legends!

    Like 7
    Dislike 3
  14. The human cat says:

    Stop blaming witchcraft. Train your children and live exemplary lives .
    When father having multile women with their wives or years live in woman
    Showing no respect but cursing and swearing in front of children
    Pushing dope
    Setting little limits on children we can save more of our children from diaster that does not mean they will not go
    Astray . The ratio is too high .

    Like 19
    Dislike 2
  15. Lmao says:

    It sound so jokey that man was able to come on to a police base steal a boat and destroy another one and get away like nothing happen, I don’t know if to say the police lame or these man is beast!

    Like 18
    Dislike 1
  16. Silver Bullet says:

    Shame. It is the white population and UK to be blamed for this too??? A culture that sees nothing wrong when acts of violence are committed by their own and blame outsiders for every social ill will continue to denigrate in its moral values. Ministers when you get on the pulpit do not be afraid to call sin by its right name even though it is your own. We are destroying our little once calm BVI

    Like 21
    Dislike 3
  17. hood man says:

    the cops are lame

    Like 3
    Dislike 1
  18. Well well says:

    The mama on fb quoting scriptures almost every day….my gurl,maybe you should have been reading them to your lil trafficker son

    Like 8
    Dislike 10
  19. Father Time says:

    @Dilly

    Girl, listen to yourself. This can’t be what y’all think is the reason. You sound as tone deaf as your aunt.

  20. Thank you says:

    Thank you to those who have spoken up and provided the information that assists in the apprehension of these buttheads.

    Like 12
  21. Mr.Gage says:

    @DEA very astute observation which I also noticed that and majority of the time they’re just parked up. As a business person seeing the amount of rentals on Island with miniscule demand year round why go into that business unless you have ulterior motives? Money got to get washed!

    Like 8
    Dislike 3
  22. Hmm says:

    How witchcraft gonna be on the rise when it going for 82k per juju Is like you gotta run dope to pay the obeah man #freethedrew

    Like 2
    Dislike 2
  23. Facts only says:

    If you People think the police is not apart of the burning boat and stolen one then, you are clueless.

    There is no way these incident took place within the station and no one seen anything. After all I hope the cameras are turned on.

    Like 18
    Dislike 1
  24. Canine says:

    personally, I think the place is going to the dogs.

    Like 11
    Dislike 1
  25. Not true says:

    You ppl just like to chat s**t malt has been retired from the rvpf

    Like 1
    Dislike 1
  26. says:

    Wonder if other fire men help him in letting the boat burn by delaying response time…

    Like 3
    Dislike 1
  27. @ DEA - THEY’RE LAUNDERING MONEY says:

    Plenty of these rental companies, trucking, charter companies are covers to launder money (all of a sudden you got a charter company, you got a car rental, you got a trucking business).

    Real estate is another method people use paying cash to buy land and build these apartment/homes/villas, etc.

    Like 12
    Dislike 4
  28. thinking says:

    dem cleaning the money, duh! invest and clean it buddie

  29. Also says:

    It’s easy to spot with these rental companies, they steady buying the brand new vehicles and the newest models of rides. like seriously who does that.

  30. @ well well says:

    her son us grown hard back man. Back off

  31. Lol says:

    It is amazing the amount of alleged money laundering in these islands. Yet the powers that be like to advertise to the outside world about the great regulations and oversight they have here..Smdh Lol oversight those banks. There is no way some of these banks have not had red flags. When someone here is caught and their business identify the bank that did their banking as they should be investigated and fined for not doing proper due diligence and compliance. Oh wait my mistake this is the BVI

    Like 3
    Dislike 1
  32. Malt man says:

    A cpo will always be a cop. And the only friends he he could have is cop and family and cops knows that not one else like them they know that

  33. V***? says:

    Still nothing.

  34. @Father Time says:

    Soooooo if she post scriptures on her Facebook NOBODY CARESSSS!!! What does that have to do with him? Who tell you she ain’t post them there for people like you who QUICK to go on her WHOLE Facebook page to see that she post a scripture? Dion mother BIG in church how you ain’t talk about her praying for he? A set of ENVIOUS MotherSk**t who JEALOUS of a lot of people out here!! Continue reading the scriptures the mother post it just might bring you closer to GOD!

  35. agree says:

    i dont care what no one say the police have something to do with this. how can you burn a boat in police custody without no one seeing you. plus them say penn jump off the boat how can you see him when the place was so dark…

  36. Kwenie says:

    Slavery was lawful once. Even when it became unlawful they were blinded by greed and personal gains. Lest we forget.

  37. Queen B says:

    watch and see soon Malt will join Simon and open a funeral home.

    Like 1
    Dislike 1
  38. Majestic Life Watch says:

    The business to get in for all your money laundering needs is the funeral home business. Tick Tock Simon Tick Tock

    Like 3
    Dislike 1
  39. ReX FeRaL says:

    @ VI BWyoy We will never be like stx and stt..never.

  40. Why? says:

    I will like to know and many others why only 2 two people out the 4 picture is in the news , why why. What happen to the other 2 persons they cannot find any picture of them all now
    Why one make bail the same very day why the secrets we are waiting we are listening. Why only those 2 guys they 2 guys they hot for why. How
    comes we can’t find nothing on her, a crime is a crime boss.

  41. @lol says:

    Back off the same BVI perhaps is providing for you,which your Country has failed to do.

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