Beautiful Virgin Islands

Sunday, Jul 06, 2025

New joint intelligence team being established

New joint intelligence team being established

Commissioner of Her Majesty’s Customs, Wade Smith has announced that a new intelligence-sharing body is now being formulated within the territory’s law enforcement fraternity.

“Through the Joint Task Force, we’re establishing what is called the Joint Intelligence Unit or the Joint Intelligence Office,” Smith said.

He made the announcement during an interview on ZBVI radio after a large quantity of a substance believed to be cocaine was discovered in a container at the BVI Port Authority’s Purcell cargo facility.

The Customs boss said the Unit is expected to have an intelligence officer from each of the three main law enforcement agencies – the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, Her Majesty’s Customs and the Immigration Department – working closely together to gather and disseminate intelligence to the operational units of the law enforcement agencies of the Joint Task Force (JTF).

The news comes against the backdrop of reports that there have been challenges experienced in the past with intelligence sharing across the BVI’s various law enforcement agencies.

Police Commissioner Mark Collins said there was a lack of trust between law enforcement agencies and said this lack of trust hampers effective collaboration. Collins suggested that there was a degree of cultural resistance responsible for the deficiency and said this was compounded by a lack of training on the part of some officers.

Investigations ongoing in drug find at ports


As for the suspected drugs discovered at Port Purcell, Commissioner Smith said the contraband amounted to about 44 kilos. He said investigations on the find remain ongoing.

In a bid to preserve the integrity of these investigations, the Customs boss declined to answer questions on whether the suspected drugs were addressed to a local person. He also declined to say the country from where the items originated.

However, Smith noted that the suspected drugs were now in the custody of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×