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The premier of the British Virgin Islands was arrested in Miami on Thursday for alleged cash laundering and conspiracy to import cocaine, in keeping with a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) criticism 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 keeping with the criticism, which cited in depth testimony from a confidential informant.
The DEA criticism 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 fee of $500,000 US.
The arrest of Fahie was first disclosed in an announcement by British Virgin Islands governor John Rankin.
“I understand this can be surprising information for individuals 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 criticism exhibits that the investigation, based mostly on observations and recordings from the confidential informant, began in October.
Based on the criticism, 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 1000’s 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 keeping with the criticism, including that he requested a $500,000 upfront fee 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 criticism mentioned.
Fahie was arrested in Miami after being individually proven designer purchasing luggage in a personal aircraft that ostensibly confirmed $700,000 US for him and Oleanvine Maynard, the criticism mentioned.
British International Secretary Liz Truss mentioned in an announcement she was “appalled” by the allegations.
Fahie’s arrest, she mentioned, demonstrated the significance of a just 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 appearing premier indefinitely.
The premier’s workplace didn’t instantly reply to requests for extra data.
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