Deandrea Hamilton

Editor

The Bahamas, December 17, 2024 – Bahamians are demanding a Commission of Inquiry and are not satisfied with the explanations, terminations, resignations and promises which followed a blistering report that “since at least May 2021, drug traffickers have smuggled tons of cocaine through The Bahamas with the support and protection of corrupt Bahamian government officials, including high ranking members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.”

Two law enforcement officers were on Monday November 25 arrested in Florida.  Elvis Curtis, an RBPF Chief Superintendent and Darrin Roker, a Chief Petty Officer in the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (“RBDF”) are among the men who have brought tremendous shame to The Bahamas.  

The fall out has been huge.

Bahamian citizens are using social media and national talk shows to divulge their concern that the US bombshell arrests expose a lack of openness with the prime minister, the foreign affairs minister and the commissioner of police; all of whom admitted to being kept in the dark as the Drug Enforcement Agency conducted their investigation.

In a November 27 sitting of the House of Assembly in The Bahamas, the prime minister said it was a day before that his government administration was made aware of “deeply troubling allegations” which led to an indictment at the US District Court, southern district of New York.

“On at least three occasions and as recently as earlier this year, I raised with senior members of the US enforcement and intelligence agencies my deep concern over what I viewed to be a sharp uptick in the interdiction of cocaine through The Bahamas.  At the time, it was clear to me that such an increase could not have occurred without strong intelligence, pointing to who was directly involved, said Philip Davis, Bahamas Prime minister who agreed the allegations tarnish the reputation and undermine efforts to combat trafficking.

“I have requested a meeting with the Charge d’Affaires of the United States Embassy to discuss these findings and reaffirm our government’s commitment to full cooperation in uncovering the truth and dismantling these criminal networks,” Davis, said immediate action was coming to address the breach of trust within the Force. “Additionally, I will meet with the leadership of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force to discuss the allegations detailed in the indictment.”

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Today’s charges should serve as yet another powerful wake-up call to corrupt officials everywhere—we will not rest until you are held accountable for your role in the drug trade that is poisoning this country and our community.  I commend the career prosecutors of this Office and our partners at the DEA for their tireless efforts to disrupt drug-fueled corruption wherever it takes hold.”

The U.S. indictment has named 13 men; 11 of whom are from The Bahamas, the other two are said to be Colombians.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office shared this in a press statement on the case:  “ELVIS NATHANIEL CURTIS, an RBPF Chief Superintendent, and DARRIN ALEXANDER ROKER, a Chief Petty Officer in the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (“RBDF”), were arrested on Monday in Florida and had their initial appearances yesterday afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. LORIELMO STEELE-POMARE, a/k/a “Steele” and WILLIAM SIMEON, a/k/a “Harvey Smith,” a/k/a “William Jacques,” a/k/a “Romeo Russell,” a/k/a “Dario Rolle,” were arrested overseas on Monday.  LUIS FERNANDO OROZCO-TORO was arrested overseas yesterday.  The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods.”

With less than 100 nautical miles separating The Bahamas from the U.S. southern border, the warnings were clear and the injury to what has been a long standing national security partnership is deeply fractured.

The U.S. has been duped, blocked and information leaked, allegedly by Bahamian officials with high level security clearance.

“The DEA has historically coordinated drug enforcement operations with the RBPF through a counternarcotics program called Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, or “OPBAT,” the report explained, “Corrupt RBPF officials have, among other things, denied the DEA access to seized cocaine and evidence, provided information to the DEA that was contradicted by aerial surveillance, and even informed a DEA agent that certain drug trafficking targets were “off limits.”

The U.S. surmises that this was a blatant abuse of power.

“Such corruption includes certain high-ranking members of the RBPF and other Bahamian government officials who work with drug traffickers to receive, protect, and provide safe passage for massive cocaine shipments through the airports and ports of The Bahamas.  These corrupt officials support the drug trade into the U.S. at multiple levels.”

The chief superintendent of police allegedly allowed narcotics in through the airports.  The chief petty officer of the defence force allegedly held the gates wide at sea ports.  For Bahamians, it was altogether despicable and in the weeks following  the arrests and formal indictments, there continues to be a demand for more information and for The Bahamas government to launch an investigation which completely lifts the veil on others who were part of the ring.

“For instance, on or about October 18, 2023, CURTIS and SYMONETTE each accepted approximately $10,000 in bribe payments as a down payment for their assistance in what they understood to be an upcoming 600-kilogram cocaine shipment to The Bahamas through the Nassau Airport, for eventual distribution to the U.S.  Additionally, in or about September 2024, CURTIS explained that, in exchange for a $2 million bribe, a high-ranking Bahamian politician that CURTIS named would authorize the assistance and involvement of armed RBPF officials to facilitate incoming cocaine shipments.  CURTIS and ROKER also discussed abusing their official positions to transport drug proceeds from cocaine sales in the U.S. back to The Bahamas, including with Bahamian government and military aircraft.”

Mr. Clayton Fernander has since resigned as Commissioner of Police.  There has been no report on what will become of the Commodore of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Raymond E. King.