Thirty- Two Illegal Migrants intercepted at sea 

Turks and Caicos, November 16, 2024 – Marine Branch Officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) responded on October 8 to a report from the Radar Station regarding a suspicious vessel near Bird Rock, Leeward Settlement, Providenciales.

At 1:28 a.m., officers aboard the Sea Pursuit intercepted a 34-foot grey Panga fiberglass boat with a 250hp Yamaha engine, transporting THIRTY-TWO (32) illegal migrants—two females and 30 males, suspected to be of Haitian descent. The illegal migrants were handed over to the Immigration Task Force for processing. Border Force, TCI Regiment, and TCI Customs also participated in the operation.

The RTCIPF can confirm the following statistical data for the year up to October 8: Number of Interceptions: Fifteen (15); Number of Males: Nine Hundred and Forty-Seven (947); Number of Females: One Hundred and Ninety-Five (195).

Total number of Illegal Migrants: One Thousand One Hundred and Forty-Two (1142) Included in the 1142 figure are TWENTY-FOUR CHILDREN.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Mat Newton said, “The number of people interdicted this year is considerably lower than last year when we detained a total of 4016 illegal migrants at sea.

In the previous six months, we have seen an expansion of our radar capabilities, and the collaboration and coordination with the Border Force and the TCI Regiment, together with air and marine assets from the United States and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, has never been better.

We will continue to work closely with national and international allies to deter people from making these perilous journeys and target the gangs who facilitate the illegal trade.

We build our national capability every month and will do whatever it takes to interdict illegal vessels bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands.”