The U.S. International Narcotics Control Strategy Report has raised concerns about the link between human and drug smuggling.
The report says that in 2005, Bahamian law enforcement officials identified shipments of drugs in Haitian sloops, fishing boats, small aircraft and pleasure vessels.
It adds that sports fishing vessels and pleasure crafts transport the cocaine from The Bahamas to Florida, blending into the legitimate vessel traffic that moves daily between these locations.
The report says that larger go-fast and sport fishing vessels regularly transport between 1,000 to 3,000 pounds of marijuana shipments from Jamaica to The Bahamas.
“These shipments are moved to Florida in the same manner as cocaine,” it says. “Significant amounts of illegal drugs have been found in transiting cargo containers stationed at the Port Container facility in Freeport. DEA/OPBAT estimates that there are a dozen major drug trafficking organizations.”
The report, which again names The Bahamas as a major drug transit country, notes that the country’s location and the expanse of its territorial area guarantee that it will continue to be a preferred route for drug transshipment and other criminal activity.
“New trafficking organizations wll seek to fill the void left by the recent dismantling of long-standing major trafficking organizations,” the report says. “The Bahamian government is expected to continue its strong commitment to joint counter-narcotics efforts.”
US authorities said they anticipate that the Government of The Bahamas will continue to work closely with the U.S. to extradite drug traffickers to the U.S.
“We expect The Bahamas will become a party to the Container Security Initiative in 2006,” the report adds. “The US looks forward to the establishment of the National Drug Secretariat and the introduction to parliament of precursor chemical control legislation.”
During 2005, the Drug Enforcement Unit of the Royal Bahamas Police Force reportedly seized 1.01 metric tons of cocaine and 13 metric tons of marijuana.
The report says most of the cocaine flow originates in Colombia and arrives in The Bahamas via go-fast boats or small aircraft from Jamaica and Haiti.
During 2005, law enforcement officials reportedly identified 41 suspicious go-fast type boats on Bahamian waters. In addition, there were 16 drug smuggling aircraft detected over Bahamian territory.
The DEU reportedly arrested 1,382 persons on drug-related offenses and seized drug-related assets, including five boats and five vehicles. Cocaine seizures decreased compared to 2004 levels, the report says.
“The decrease is the result of the continued vigilance and precise targeting actions by law enforcement agencies and the 2005 hurricane season,” the report says.
It further notes that as a matter of government policy, The Bahamas does not encourage or facilitate illicit production or distribution of narcotic or psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances, nor the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions.
The report points out that no senior official of the Government of The Bahamas was convicted of drug-related offenses in 2005.
The Royal Bahamas Defence Force anticorruption unit reported that during 2005 there were eight allegations of corruption brought against officers, three pending prosecutions and five ongoing investigations.
By: Candia Dames, The Bahama Journal
