The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

THREE Bahamian men were detained and $5.9m worth of suspected marijuana seized after a 72-hour intelligence operation involving Bahamian and United States law enforcement agencies tracking and intercepting a go-fast vessel moving through Bahamian waters.

The operation began on July 24 after authorities received intelligence that a Bahamian-registered vessel carrying a large quantity of narcotics was heading towards The Bahamas, according to Royal Bahamas Defence Force Staff Intelligence Officer Captain Derrick Ferguson.

A United States air asset detected the vessel during the early hours of July 25, triggering a coordinated response involving the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Royal Bahamas Police Force and several US law enforcement agencies under Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas Maritime Operations Coordination Working Group.

Mr Ferguson said US authorities deployed air assets, the RBPF mobilised its units and the Defence Force repositioned HMBS Kamalamee and HMBS Durward Knowles to intercept the vessel.

“The vessel would have entered Bahamian territorial waters, noticed that they were detected, and they would have started to deviate to alter their course to enter back into international waters,” Mr Ferguson said.

The Defence Force then authorised a nearby US Coast Guard cutter to board and search the vessel on its behalf.

“The Bahamas Defense Force granted permission to the U.S. Coast Guard that had a cutter in the nearby area to, on the behalf of the Royal Bahamas Defense Force, to conduct a boarding and search of that vessel,” Mr Ferguson said.

The search led to the seizure of a large quantity of suspected marijuana and the detention of the three Bahamian men aboard.

The suspects, suspected drugs and vessel were transferred to a Defence Force vessel and transported to HMBS Coral Harbour.

Authorities did not disclose the quantity or estimated value of the suspected marijuana, saying the investigation remained in its early stages.

Mr Ferguson said the detainees and suspected drugs would be handed over to the RBPF Drug Enforcement Unit for further investigation.

“Be there no mistake. The US and the Bahamian partnership is strong, and we remain committed to detecting, disrupting, deterring, and denying any transnational criminal activity that may seek to enter and transit the Bahamian maritime jurisdiction, and as well as the US maritime jurisdiction,” he said.

Superintendent Wendy Pearson of the Drug Enforcement Unit said the go-fast vessel had been seized and would eventually be forfeited.