MIAMI (CBSMiami/CNN) – British Virgin Island Premier Andrew Alturo Fahie and the territory’s port director Oleanvine Pickering Maynard have been arrested on drug trafficking and cash laundering expenses in South Florida.
Fahie, Maynard, and Maynard’s son Kadeem Stephan Maynard have been arrested on the Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport on Thursday.
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Fahie and the Maynards are being held on expenses of conspiracy to import 5 kilograms or extra of cocaine and conspiracy to launder cash, based on a legal affidavit filed within the US District Court’s Southern District of Florida.
The affidavit alleges that starting on or about October 16, 2021, a confidential supply with the US Drug Enforcement Administration had a number of conferences with “a group of self-proclaimed Lebanese Hezbollah operatives … who stated that they had business ties to South Florida and the Middle East.”
Those conferences reportedly happened on the island of Tortola within the British Virgin Islands.
Throughout these conferences, the confidential supply requested the group to assist facilitate using Tortola as a brief storage port for cocaine transported from Colombia by boat and destined for the United States, based on the affidavit. The supply’s plan would even have included the laundering of the drug proceeds.
According to the affidavit, the group agreed to introduce the supply to senior members of the British Virgin Islands authorities who may supply safety, for a value. A member of the group stated he would method the pinnacle of Fahie’s safety employees and arrange a gathering. A gaggle member additionally claimed that he “owned” Oleanvine Maynard, based on the affidavit.
Last month, the supply met with each Oleanvine Maynard and her son Kadeem to iron out how the operation would work and the roles that they and Fahie would play, based on the affidavit.
On April 7, 2022, the supply went to Tortola and met with the Maynards, then all of them met with Fahie. During a protracted drive to the assembly, Fahie allegedly complained to the supply that “the British didn’t pay him much.”
The supply informed Fahie that he labored for individuals in Mexico, and so they wished use of the ports in Tortola without spending a dime passage of three,000 kilograms of cocaine at a time. The cocaine, which might come from Colombia, would move by the BVI, then Puerto Rico on its option to Miami and New York, the supply informed them, based on the affidavit.
The supply proposed a share of the cocaine gross sales within the US as cost for his or her involvement in serving to move the medicine by the BVI ports. The cost quantity provided was 12% of the anticipated sale value in Miami, which Fahie estimated to be greater than $7.8 million. Fahie allegedly requested $500,000 upfront and an extra $83,000 he wanted to pay again a debt he owed to somebody in Senegal, based on the affidavit. The supply additionally provided to fund Fahie’s re-election marketing campaign and requested to assist select Fahie’s eventual successor to the premiership.
The events agreed to do a 3,000 kilogram check run, which might be adopted by 3,000 kilograms coming by the island two or 3 times a month for the following 4 months, the affidavit alleges.
According to the affidavit, the events set in movement a plan for the supply to depart $700,000 in money on a personal jet on the Miami-Opa Locka airport that will be retrieved by Oleanvine Maynard and an unknown particular person and flown again to the BVI. Kadeem Maynard additionally brokered a facet cope with the supply the place he would obtain 60 kilograms of cocaine every week to promote, the affidavit alleges. He was additionally accountable for ensuring the jet with the $700,000 from Miami could be allowed to land within the BVI with no points, it states.
On April 28, Fahie and the supply went to a aircraft on the airport in Opa-Locka, the place the supply confirmed him $700,000 in money that was for him and Oleanvine Maynard. The cash was in designer buying baggage. As Fahie exited the aircraft after seeing the cash, he was taken into custody.
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Later that morning Oleanvine Maynard was delivered to the identical airport and aircraft and confirmed the $700,000. The supply gave her $200,000 and informed her that was her cost and that the remainder of the cash was for Fahie. He assured her the cash could be packaged and hidden earlier than the flight. As she exited the aircraft, she was additionally arrested.
The affidavit doesn’t define the place Kadeem Maynard was arrested.
British Virgin Islands Governor John Rankin, who’s the territory’s de facto head of state, introduced the arrest of Fahie.
“It is my duty as Governor to inform you that this morning the Honourable Premier Fahie was detained in Miami on charges related to conspiracy to import a controlled substance and money laundering,” Rankin stated in a news launch.
Rankin, who’s a British diplomat, was appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of the British authorities. In his assertion, Rankin stated the US authorities knowledgeable the British authorities of the arrest, which was a part of a DEA-led operation.
“I realize this will be shocking news for people in the Territory. And I would call for calm at this time,” Rankin stated.
Deputy Premier Natalio Wheatley will stay Acting Premier of the Territory, he stated. Wheatley was put into place as Acting Premier whereas Fahie was in a foreign country. According to a news launch by his workplace, Fahie was in Miami for the annual SeaTrade Summit.
In an announcement, Britain’s Foreign Secretary Liz Truss stated she was appalled by the intense allegations towards Fahie.
“This afternoon, the Premier of the British Virgin Islands, Andrew Fahie, was arrested in the United States on charges related to drug trafficking and money laundering,” her assertion stated. “I am appalled by these serious allegations.”
Truss additionally referenced an anti-corruption inquiry unrelated to the DEA investigation.
“This arrest demonstrates the importance of the recently concluded Commission of Inquiry. I have spoken to the Governor of the BVI and he will be holding an emergency meeting of the Territory’s Cabinet later today. He will set out next steps tomorrow, including urgent publication of the Inquiry’s report,” she added.
The US Drug Enforcement Administration stated in an announcement the arrest ought to ship a “clear message” to anybody bringing medicine into the nation.
“Anyone involved with bringing dangerous drugs into the United States will be held accountable, no matter their position. Today is yet another example of DEA’s resolve to hold corrupt members of government responsible for using their positions of power to provide a safe haven for drug traffickers and money launderers in exchange for their own financial and political gain,” DEA Administrator Anne Milgram stated.
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