Counternarcotics and Law Enforcement Country Program: The Bahamas

Problem

The U.S. Government and the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas have enjoyed an excellent, cooperative counternarcotics working relationship for more than a decade. The Bahamas places a high priority on combating drug transshipments through its territory, as demonstrated by the extensive resources it devotes to this initiative. Nevertheless, The Bahamas remains a major drug transit country. Drug flow through The Bahamas rises and falls relative to increased or decreased pressure on alternate routes. Marijuana trafficking through The Bahamas is increasing, and The Bahamas continues as a significant money-laundering location. During 2002, total cocaine and marijuana seizures by Bahamian authorities with assistance from U.S. law enforcement agencies increased by 160 percent and 183 percent respectively, as compared to FY 2001. In addition, a joint Bahamian-U.S. investigation resulted in the arrest of 32 members of a major Bahamian drug trafficking ring, the Austin Knowles organization.

U.S. Counternarcotics Goals

• Preclude use of Bahamian territory and territorial waters for the movement of cocaine or other illicit drugs and enhance Bahamian maritime end-game capability;
• Enhance Bahamian ability to conduct increasingly sophisticated drug-trafficking investigations to apprehend members of large trafficking organizations, and to conduct financial investigations to trace, seize, and forfeit the proceeds of crime;
• Swiftly prosecute apprehended drug traffickers, money launderers, and perpetrators of other types of international crime;
• Improve Bahamian governmental and non-governmental organizations’ capabilities to prevent drug abuse; and
• Enhance Bahamian ability to prevent drug-related corruption of public officials.

U.S. Programs

The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs' (INL) counternarcotics programs focus on improving the capacity of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF), Defense Force, and the Customs Department to detect, investigate, and prosecute drug smugglers. The U.S. Government and the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas carry out combined drug law enforcement operations. Increasingly, INL's Bahamas program has focused on training and equipping special units of the RBPF to conduct sophisticated drug trafficking and financial crime investigations. In 2002,The INL program funded the creation of a canine drug detector unit to prevent the exploitation of the Freeport Container Port by drug smugglers.

Excellent drug interdiction cooperation between the United States and The Bahamas has permitted establishment of a significant interdiction and investigation infrastructure involving U.S. aircraft, ships, and personnel. Supported by INL, Operation Bahamas and Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) is a combined effort by The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands police and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to intercept loads of cocaine and conduct investigations. OPBAT employs U.S. Coast Guard and Army helicopters assigned to joint interdiction bases on the islands of New Providence, Great Exuma, and Great Inagua. INL is assisting Bahamian security forces to develop a more effective maritime end-game capability through the purchase of go-fast interceptor craft for the RBPF.