Since Friday, August 16, 2024, 217 migrants from Haiti in an irregular migratory situation have been intercepted during several attempts to disembark on the British territory of the Turks & Caicos Islands. Police have also seized more than $2 million worth of marijuana.

The marijuana was discovered during two separate interceptions of illegal Haitian migrants from the north coast of Haiti on Friday and Saturday.

The first interception took place on Friday, August 16 at around 11:40 p.m. in Bird Rock on the island of Providenciales; 15 migrants were on board the boat, as well as marijuana with a street value of $131,660.

On Saturday, August 17, officers intercepted two other vessels carrying undocumented Haitian migrants around 5:00 p.m. Officers arrested 41 migrants, including 3 minors, 6 women and 32 men on board the boats, as well as marijuana with an estimated street value of $2,704,932.

On Sunday, at around 10:17 p.m., police with the assistance of the Royal Bahamas Defense Force, intercepted a fourth overloaded boat with 144 migrants on board (111 men, 32 women and 5 minors) near the island of West Caicos. The vessel was escorted to Providenciales and the migrants were handed over to the Border Force for processing. And repatriation to Haiti.

"The trafficking of illicit contraband, such as cannabis, into the Turks and Caicos Islands is an offense with serious penalties," said Edvin Martin, the archipelago’s police commissioner. The police and their law enforcement partners, he added, "are resolute in finding the people involved in the smuggling of people and trafficking of illegal drugs and will pursue all leads to bring them to justice."

S/ HaitiLibre