Premier of British Virgin Islands arrested in Florida as part of drug investigation

The premier of the British Virgin Islands was arrested in Miami on Thursday for alleged cash laundering and conspiracy to import cocaine, in response to a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) grievance reviewed by Reuters.

Andrew Fahie, 51, was arrested at a Miami airport together with the managing director of the British abroad territory’s Ports Authority, in response to the grievance, which cited in depth testimony from a confidential informant.

The DEA grievance mentioned Fahie had agreed to permit the informant, who was posing as a member of Mexico’s Sinaloa drug cartel, to make use of British Virgin Islands’ ports to ship cocaine in return for a cost of $500,000 US.

The arrest of Fahie was first disclosed in an announcement by British Virgin Islands governor John Rankin.

“I notice this will likely be stunning information for folks within the Territory,” Rankin mentioned. “And I’d name for calm right now.”

Fahie couldn’t instantly be reached for remark, nor may officers from the British Virgin Islands Ports Authority.

Hundreds of kilos of cocaine 

The DEA didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark, however its grievance reveals that the investigation, based mostly on observations and recordings from the confidential informant, began in October.

In response to the grievance, the informant claimed in conferences with Fahie, ports managing director Oleanvine Maynard and her son, Kadeem Maynard, to be a cartel member seeking to transfer hundreds of kilos of Colombian cocaine via Tortola island — the biggest of the territory’s islands — and ultimately to Puerto Rico for export to New York and Miami.

“Fahie agreed to permit the confidential supply to make use of the ports to ship his cocaine,” in response to the grievance, including that he requested a $500,000 upfront cost in return.

The British Virgin Islands premier additionally requested assist in paying down an $83,000 US debt to a person in Senegal who had “fastened” some political points for him, the grievance mentioned.

Fahie was arrested in Miami after being individually proven designer buying baggage in a non-public aircraft that ostensibly confirmed $700,000 US for him and Oleanvine Maynard, the grievance mentioned.

British Overseas Secretary Liz Truss mentioned in an announcement she was “appalled” by the allegations.

Fahie’s arrest, she mentioned, demonstrated the significance of a lately concluded Fee of Inquiry into allegations of corruption and abuse of workplace on the islands. The fee’s report has not but been printed.

Deputy Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley will stay performing premier indefinitely.

The premier’s workplace didn’t instantly reply to requests for extra info.