In a joint operation between the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force Marine Branch and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the Bahamian vessel, HMBS LL Smith, with 2 members from the Turks and Caicos Regiment and RTCIPF onboard as ‘ShipRiders’, made an interception of a believed Haitian vessel carrying irregular migrants on Saturday 1st July 2023 at approximately 1 pm.
The 40 ft wooden vessel with approximately 189 Haitian nationals – ONE HUNDRED and FORTY MALES (140) , including ONE MINOR and FORTY-NINE FEMALES (49) were detained and passed to TCI Immigration Officers for processing.
Commissioner of Police Trevor Botting said: ‘The Northern Caribbean Region is experiencing an increase in the number of vessels seeking to smuggle people into the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas. So far in 2023, 21 vessels have been intercepted by the RTCIPF Marine Branch with over 2600 migrants being detained. The number of vessels and persons detained exceeds all previous year’s totals and we are just 6 months into 2023.
In response to this rising threat to our National Security, we are working in collaboration with our cousins from the Bahamas and our partnership is strengthening the response to this threat both in respect of our individual jurisdictions and as a region. The RMDS LL Smith was operating in TCI waters in support of the RTCIPF Marine Branch and I am grateful to the crew of the RMBS LL Smith for their diligence and professionalism in executing today’s intercepting and to the Government of the Bahamas and the Commodore of the RBDF for their continued and committed partnership in protecting our territorial waters and Border.
“As ever, I pass on my thanks to the RTCIPF Marine Branch Team for their continued outstanding work in dealing with the threats of people smuggling at sea. I cannot speak more highly of their dedication and commitment to the task of protecting the TCI border.
“All of the agencies on the TCI remain committed to meeting the current threats of Irregular Migration
“This Operation was executed under the ShipRider agreement signed by both countries in 2022 and highlights the continued collaboration and partnership the two countries share, together we are stronger in the defence of our countries through delivering our shared objectives.”