BVI Premier Andrew Fahie.
Premier of the British Virgin Islands, Andrew Fahie, has been arrested in Miami on charges related to conspiracy to import a controlled substance and money laundering, according to BVI Governor John Rankin.
"As this concerns the arrest of a British citizen, the US Government has informed the UK Government of this arrest, as part of the usual process followed when a British citizen is arrested abroad," said Mr. Rankin. "The UK Government has subsequently informed me as governor."
He added, "As this is a live US investigation I have no further information on the arrest nor can I comment any further on it. "However, what I can confirm is that the arrest was a US operation led by the DEA and is not linked to the Commission of Inquiry report."
Also arrested along with Mr. Fahie was BVI Port Director Oleanvine Maynard on charges of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and money laundering.
According to the Miami Herald, the men were arrested after they met with undercover DEA agents posing as cocaine traffickers to check out an alleged shipment of $700,000 in cash on an airplane that they believed was destined for the British Virgin Islands. The DEA agents were posing as members of the Mexican Sinaloa cartel, the Herald said.
Mr. Fahie was in Miami attending the annual Seatrade Cruise Global Conference, an annual gathering of stakeholders in the cruise industry.
The indictment as of Thursday afternoon remained sealed. It will be unsealed once Mr. Fahie makes his initial appearance most likely tomorrow.
Deputy Premier Natalio Wheatley will remain Acting Premier of the Territory, said Mr. Rankin. "I will discuss with him and Cabinet the way forward in continuing to support the good governance of the Territory," he said.
