THE Bahamas has once again been listed as a major drug transit country by the United States.
In this year’s Presidential Determination on Major illicit Drug Transit and Major Illicit Drug Producing Countries, released yesterday, the Bahamas remained among several countries named.
While that designation remained, the US noted that a country’s presence on the Presidential Majors list is not necessarily an “adverse reflection” of its government’s counter-narcotics efforts or level of co-operation with the United States.
According to the US Embassy in the Bahamas, the United States enjoys close collaboration with the Bahamas on counter-narcotics and citizen security.
In fact, the embassy said the Bahamas’ inclusion on this list reflects the ongoing challenge it faces in combating transnational organised crime, and highlights the need for continued bilateral support to counter this threat.
“The United States and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas have been stalwart partners against illegal narcotics trafficking. The Bahamas is an important partner in the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI).
“In 2012, the Bahamas’ Drug Enforcement Unit co-operated closely with United States and other foreign law enforcement agencies on drug investigations through Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos (OPBAT). These efforts contributed to the seizure of 236 kilograms of cocaine and the seizure of 162 metric tons of marijuana by Bahamian authorities during calendar year 2012,” the embassy said.
Comments
VDSheep 11 years, 1 month ago
The US war on drugs over 50 years has seen an escalation of drugs many times over in the US and elsewhere. More drugs are produced in the US than ever before - it is the same old system at work of supply and demand. Americans love drugs and have money to pay for them. US prisons are full of blacks that were busted for a joint or less than an ounce of weed. The war on drugs is an endless war. There ought to be another approach to the issue! Perhaps the British can help to find a way - they signed a treaty with the Chinese in 1884 - that no opium will be sent to the West on any ships - other than British ships.
John 11 years, 1 month ago
The United Sates has now legalized the consumption of marijuana in a number of its states, including California and the state of Nebraska now allows the cultivation of EIGHT marijuana plants for each person normally residing in that state. So while the United States may not be involved in the trafficking or the transshipment of drugs, the growing and smoking of weed in many parts of that country is no longer illegal. Therefore the laws regarding the trafficking and trans shipment marijuana needs to be revised. You cannot, on the one hand condemn a country as a narco-trafficking country and seek to bring sanctions against that country when you are allowing the same drugs to be grown and consumed in your own country. Not in support of the growing and smoking of marijuana, but in fairness of the laws surrounding it.
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