THREE BVI MEN FACING LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR DRUG SMUGGLING IN THE USVI
Written by Fuze Social Team on January 12, 2022
Three BVI residents face the possibility of life imprisonment if convicted after they were caught with cocaine near St. Croix.
United States Attorney Gretchen Shappert announced Monday that three BVI nationals and a national from the Dominican Republic were arrested January 9 on criminal charges related to their alleged possession with intent to distribute 667 kilograms of cocaine on-board a vessel.
According to court documents, on January 9 at approximately 3:30 p.m., Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (CBP-AMO) along with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) detected a thirty-two feet vessel headed north towards the vicinity of the British Virgin Islands.
When law enforcement approached the vessel, it was dead in the water.
It said that captaining the vessel was BVI resident Shannon John. Passengers included Sean John and Emmanuel Tolentino-Lebron, both also from the BVI, and Augusto RodriquezMolina, a citizen of the Dominican Republic.
Federal authorities located approximately 667 kilograms of cocaine packaged in approximately 20 block-shaped bales onboard. All four men were arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine on a covered vessel, and conspiracy to commit the same offense. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
