The Cayman Islands Customs and Border Control Service (CBC) announces that on Sunday, 20th August 2023 an inbound commercial fishing vessel was boarded by Cayman Islands Coast Guard (CICG) officers and then escorted to the George Town Port by CICG.
The in-ward escort allowed for carrying out required vessel clearance protocols as established in the Customs & Border Control Act.
Between Sunday, 20th, and Monday, 21st August 2023, CBC and partner agencies conducted inspections of the vessel, its cargo, and crew resulting in the recovery and seizure of a significant sum of money along with four (4) packages containing a white substance, later field tested revealing a positive result for cocaine.
Five foreign nationals (all males) were arrested and taken into custody in connection with the undeclared money and the importation of a controlled drug.
CBC Acting Director Bruce Smith stated, “This interception, arrest, and seizure is indicative of the dedicated CBC, Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS), and CICG personnel and the strong collaborative spirit and good working relations that exist allowing the team to effectively respond to the tasks at hand.”
He continued, “I commend all involved for their individual and collective efforts for maintaining focus and for their commitment to the ensuing investigation.”