Courier Smuggling Sparks Concern in BVI
Acting Commissioner of Customs Clinton Romney has warned of a rising trend of drugs, firearm parts and large sums of cash being smuggled into the British Virgin Islands through courier services and ports of entry. Customs has intercepted cannabis, a firearm slide and more than $80,000 in recent months and is working with the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, the National Security Council and the DPP to strengthen detection and pursue prosecutions.
Acting Commissioner of Customs Clinton Romney has raised alarm over an apparent increase in contraband arriving through courier services and at key ports of entry across the Virgin Islands. Romney told ZBVI Radio that in inspections at Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport (Beef Island) and the Road Town Customs Station officers recently intercepted several packages that concealed illegal items.
In late September, officers found a parcel containing plant matter later identified as cannabis with an estimated street value of about $5,000. That shipment, which originated in the United States and moved through a courier and BVI Post, was reportedly not intended for the territory.
In a separate discovery, customs officers uncovered parts of a firearm — described by Romney as a gun slide — shipped in a package whose description did not match its contents. The package bore a serial number that had been obliterated, according to the acting commissioner. At West End port, officers also found more than $80,000 concealed in a package linked to a man arriving from the US Virgin Islands; that individual was arrested with police assistance and the funds are now part of ongoing court proceedings.
The Department of Customs is coordinating closely with the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, the National Security Council and the Director of Public Prosecutions to ensure accurate charges and successful prosecutions. Romney said the agencies are improving detection capabilities, including plans to install scanners at various entry points to better inspect courier shipments and cargo.
For BVI residents, the developments underline two practical consequences: increased customs scrutiny of incoming parcels and the prospect of delays as inspections and security upgrades are implemented. The acting commissioner emphasised the department’s commitment to protecting the territory’s borders and preventing courier networks from being misused for trafficking drugs, firearms or illicit cash.
Authorities are urging residents and businesses who use courier services to ensure accurate declarations, to be aware of package origins, and to report suspicious activity. As the matter continues through the courts, Customs and police say they will maintain heightened vigilance to disrupt emerging smuggling trends and to safeguard public safety.
Primary source: BVI News