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by pltm
(PLTM) - Three men from the British Virgin Islands have found themselves in hot water with the US authorities after they were held with cocaine near St. Croix, USVI.
The trio – boat captain Shannon John, along with Sean John and Emmanuel Tolentino-Lebron, also from the BVI, were held with their Dominican Republic counterpart, Augusto Rodriquez Molina.
The incident occurred at 3:30 pm on January 9, 2022, media outlets in the neighbouring territory have reported.
The VI Consortium said the quartet was 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 offence, in violation of 46 U.S.C. § 70503(a)(1) & 46 U.S.C. § 70506(b).
During the raid, the US Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, along with Homeland Security Investigations, encountered the 32-foot vessel as it was heading north towards the BVI with 667 kilos of cocaine packed in 20 block-shaped bales on board the boat.
The VI Consortium said the boat was ‘dead in the water” when the authorities approached it.
The men are facing a maximum of life in prison if convicted.
