Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Non-locals engaged in smuggling will be deported, all offenders will be 'vigorously sought after'

Non-locals engaged in smuggling will be deported, all offenders will be 'vigorously sought after'

Since the territory’s spike in COVID-19 cases is linked to persons who have been smuggling themselves in and out of the BVI, non-locals found to be involved are being threatened with deportation.

This is according to Premier Andrew Fahie who said in an address on Tuesday his government will be taking a zero-tolerance approach to all guilty offenders.

He said: “Our residents and businesses must not be made to continue to suffer due to misconduct by a few persons out of greed and lack of respect for our Virgin Islands … Your Government will not allow the actions of a few individuals to endanger the welfare of the BVI and our economy.”

“Persons engaging in all or any illegal activities will be sought after vigorously and brought to justice. Those that need to be deported will be deported. The BVI will not be used as a hub for human smuggling to the USVI and also from the USVI to the BVI en route to their home country,” he added.

New task force to abruptly end smuggling


Premier Fahie also said a new task force will be established to “aggressively” halt smuggling in and out of the territory.

He did not specify whether the task force will be a separate component to the previously mentioned joint unit consisting of members from Her Majesty’s Customs, the Immigration Department and the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force.

However, he said the task force will be collaborating with the border security from the United States Virgin Islands.

“I say here again that our people and businesses should not be made to suffer for a few lawless people. BVI will not be a hub no more for these illegal activities. We are small in size and we cannot continue to allow this behaviour to continue,” Fahie stated.

Back to square one


The Premier further said his government had the economy back on the track to recovery but the actions of “lawless” persons has placed the territory almost back to square one.

The BVI went from having only a total of eight positive cases on May 28, to now 47 positive cases as of August 31.

Fahie said the increase in cases is because of residents “who have not been taking COVID-19 seriously and have not fully embraced the level of personal responsibility that is needed to reduce transmission of the virus.”

These include businesses and residents that have been failing to adhere to the COVID-19 protocols.

Of the positive cases, 38 remain active.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
×