High-ranking Bahamian law enforcement officials have been charged with enabling the flow of cocaine into the United States in exchange for bribes. The indictment accuses officials of supporting the drug trade at every stage from the airports in the Bahamas to boats used to transport shipments to Florida and other parts of the U.S. The charges include Royal Bahamas Police Force Chief Superintendent Elvis Nathaniel Curtis and Royal Bahamas Defence Force Chief Petty Officer Darrin Alexander Roker.
The indictment alleges that Bahamian officials facilitated the smuggling of cocaine into the U.S. since at least May 2021 and thwarted a joint program between U.S. and Bahamian authorities to combat drug trafficking in the region. Key officials denied the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration access to seized cocaine, provided misleading information, and protected drug traffickers by hindering anti-drug operations. Some officers even facilitated shipments from groups like the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.
The defendants face life in prison for charges related to conspiracy to import cocaine and firearms. Despite the indictment, Bahamian Commissioner Clayton Fernander stated that those implicated in wrongdoing will face appropriate consequences and that the agency will not tolerate breaches of trust.
Overdose deaths in the U.S. from cocaine have been on the rise, with nearly 30,000 fatalities reported in 2023. However, overall overdose deaths have shown a slight decrease according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Bahamas military and law enforcement authorities have pledged to work with national and international partners to address issues of mutual concern and prevent corruption within their ranks.
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