British Virgin Islands Premier Arrested In US Over Drugs Trafficking

The British Virgin Islands' premier and chief port official were arrested Thursday at a Miami-area airport on charges of conspiring to traffic cocaine, the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) said.

DEA agents at the Miami-Opa-locka Executive Airport took Premier Andrew Fahie and BVI Port Authority managing director Oleanvine Maynard into custody after they allegedly agreed to accept money from undercover agents posing as Mexican drug traffickers, the local Miami Herald newspaper reported.

Fahie and Maynard were to inspect a plane carrying $700,000 that they would receive in exchange for facilitating cocaine shipments through their Caribbean territory, reported the Herald, citing US authorities.

The officials' arrests "should send a clear message," said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, in a statement.

"Anyone involved with bringing dangerous drugs into the United States will be held accountable, no matter their position."

Court documents filed Thursday showed Fahie, Maynard and Maynard's son were all charged with "conspiracy to import five kilograms or more of cocaine" and "conspiracy to launder money."

John Rankin, the British Virgin Islands' governor, said that the arrest was a "US operation led by the DEA."

"As this concerns the arrest of a British citizen, the US government has informed the UK government of this arrest, as part of the usual process followed when a British citizen is arrested abroad," he added.

Rankin additionally stipulated that the arrest had nothing to do with the current British investigation into corruption in the Fahie government.

The British Virgin Islands is home to some 35,000 people and is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, a status that gives it partial autonomy.

"I realize this will be shocking news for people in the territory. And I would call for calm at this time," said Rankin, who as governor was appointed by Queen Elizabeth II on recommendation of the British government.

He noted that the deputy premier will become acting premier in the meantime.

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