OPERATION PURSUIT -Restaurants and Bars ordered closed

#TurksandCaicos, June 9, 2023 – FIVE Restaurants and Bars in Providenciales were yesterday evening (June 07^th) served with Closure Notices after public health officials swooped down on their premises and found expired items used in the preparation of food.

Additionally, nine persons were apprehended and taken to the Detention Center for processing, and a number of prohibited items were confiscated.

At 6:40 p.m.the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force in collaboration with the Immigration Enforcement Unit, Customs Department, Environmental Health Department, and the Revenue Control Unit, arrived at a  Liquor License premises along the Millennium Highway.

While at this location, it was observed that several persons were working Contrary to their Work Permits.  A warning was issued, and two individuals – male and female were apprehended.

The Officers also conducted a search at a bar located in Kew Town behind the Ball Park.

A total of seven individuals (four males and three females)  were apprehended and taken to the Detention Center for Processing.  At this location, a number of prohibited items were seized.

Overall, several restaurants and cafeterias were served notices to close for failure to comply with health regulations. A number of items used for cooking and mixing alcoholic drinks were seized:

The items included:

1. Expired/dented: Carnation evaporated milk – 63 cans
2. Expired: Bluebird orange juice – 10 bottles
3. 60 lbs. of raw and cooked meat (chicken and pork) – held at improper temperatures
4. 20 lbs. of raw meat (fish, beef, and pork) – held at improper temperatures

The Environmental Health Department Closure Notice Ordinance states:

Failure to comply with this closure notice may result in one or more of the following as outlined in the Food & Drug Ordinance 2016, Part III (Sections 31 & 32).

A person who commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $10,000 (ten thousand dollars) or to a term of imprisonment for 12 (twelve) months or both.

If a person is convicted of an offence under this ordinance the court may on conviction, and on an application by or on behalf of the Chief Environmental Health Officer (Director) order that any license the person holds to operate such a business be suspended for a period specified in the order, or revoked.

These collaborative activities form part of  “Operation Pursuit”.

Operation Pursuit involves a Multi-Agency operational framework, designed to locate, identify, and process persons engaged in ALL illegal activities within the TCI. These operations entail a collaborative effort from all our essential partners at the re-established Turks Caicos Islands Joint Law Enforcement Group (J-LEG).

Release: RTCIPF