Three charged after Purcell gun and drug find

Three persons have been charged following a police raid that unearthed large quantities of drugs and guns in the Purcell community last Friday.

Police said Seantroy Hanley, 36 and Jahkeema Charles, 32, both of Fat Hog’s Bay, were jointly charged with two counts of keeping a firearm without a license, two counts of unlawful possession of explosives, two counts of possession of a controlled drug and two counts of possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply.

Another man who was arrested at the scene, Quentin Noel, 19, of Purcell Estate, was charged with possession of a controlled drug.

Charles was granted bail in the sum of $40,000 to appear at the Magistrate’s Court on April 18, while Hanley and Noel remain in custody until the next available sitting at the Magistrate’s Court.

Officers of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) discovered a large quantity of crack cocaine, marijuana, two guns and several rounds of ammunition during a planned operation in the vicinity of the basketball court in the Purcell community.

Four persons were arrested following the incident and taken to the Road Town Police Station for questioning concerning the items that were found.

The recent raid is part of a series of actions taken by the RVIPF to combat the surge in gun-related crimes and drug trafficking within the territory. These efforts come in the wake of a spike in gun crimes reported by the police, including instances where firearms were discharged in public areas, threatening the safety and security of the BVI community.

The arrests and charges come in the wake of a shocking incident at the Aladdin jewellery store, where four masked assailants, armed with high-powered weapons, conducted a broad daylight heist, escaping with undisclosed valuables.

The RVIPF is urging individuals who have information about illegal firearm possession to report it confidentially. Residents can do this by calling the Crime Stoppers line at 800-8477 (TIPS) or, if calling from overseas, use 1-284-800-8477 to share the information. Alternatively, persons can contact the RVIPF Intelligence Unit directly at 368-9339 to report such activities.