UK to take full control of Virgin Islands after PM cocaine scandal
2 Min Read
The prime minister has been arrested on drug and money laundering charges.
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A cornerstone photo of the British Virgin Islands.
The UK will be forcing itself as the direct ruler of the British Virgin Islands after the Islands' premier, Andrew Fahie, was arrested on suspicions of drug trafficking and money laundering.
Fahie was arrested on Thursday by the US Drug Enforcement Agency in an elaborate operation before appearing in court on Friday in Miami. The operation also caught the chief executive of the port authority of the British Virgin Islands and her sons, Oleanvine and Kadeem Maynard.
#UPDATE: Affidavit details how US law enforcement caught the Premier of the British Virgin Islands, Andrew Fahie & Managing Director of Port Authority, Oleanvine Maynard, on tape conspiring to smuggle cocaine and launder money. Fascinating read.https://t.co/uPaGPPO1fF pic.twitter.com/9lDmbkTqlY
— Abka Fitz-Henley (@AbkaFitzHenley) April 29, 2022
Federal prosecutors on Friday charged Fahie with cocaine trafficking and money laundering conspiracies.
The commission of inquiry which was launched in 2021 revealed Fahie's widespread abuses, such as millions of dollars of state funds that were used by politicians and ministries outside the proper processes.
The territory, according to Judge Gary Hickinbottom, should have its constitution suspended, its government dissolved, and should be controlled by London.
The US #BVI indictment of Andrew Fahie, hasn't been posted, so here it is (OCR'ed too!).
— Legal Style Blog (@legalstyleblog) April 29, 2022
Remember my recent point about how hard court documents are to get in England? In 30 seconds, I logged into PACER & got a US indictment—couldn't do that in England! https://t.co/98YHGKIaRC pic.twitter.com/6d3eR8GtRh
Liz Truss, the UK foreign secretary, did not ultimately go with the imposition of the direct ruling, but the report showed “clearly that substantial legislative and constitutional change is required to restore the standards of governance that the people of the BVI are entitled to”.
Although London is already in control of the defense and foreign policy of the Islands, Governor General John Rankin is now expected to assume authority over the BVI domestic policy and budgets. Rankin is Queen Elizabeth's representative of the island.
The last time the UK imposed direct rule over any territory overseas was in 2009, when it took charge of the Turks and Caicos.
However, the Brits are nervous about how its sudden imposition will be met on the island.
Fahie was on a private jet in Miami when he was arrested. He was being shown a $700,000 payment return which he thought was for keeping the BVI port a resting place for cocaine coming from Mexico before being shipped to Puerto Rico and Miami.
The informant speaking to him was wiretapped by US agencies. The informant, who was acting as a drug runner, attended a myriad of meetings where he negotiated a deal that Fahie would earn some $7 million from.
