First 73 days; Border Force DEPORTS Hundreds, SEIZES Cash and stops UNDECLARED goods plus Minister has WARNING

Deandrea Hamilton

Editor

Turks and Caicos, March 15, 2025 – The new minister of Immigration and Border Services says his Border Force is intensifying efforts to root out illegals within the Turks and Caicos, jointly part of 16 operations which nabbed 450 illegals who have been deported.

“The Enforcement Unit is currently participating in a joint operation, Operation Mightier, alongside other Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs). This initiative enhances the presence of (LEAs) across various areas of Providenciales, primarily at night.

Operation Mightier involves Vehicle Check Points (VCPs), enforcement visits to bars and informal settlements, and regular patrols throughout Providenciales,” said Jamell Robinson, during his ministerial statement in a recent parliamentary session.

The operations are also being carried out during the daytime and the construction sites are in the crosshairs of the enforcement agencies.

“The Enforcement Unit plans to execute several major joint operations with other agencies in the coming months,” he said.

In addition to thwarting criminal activity within the islands, the Investigation Unit, according to Deputy Premier Robinson, has intercepted huge sums of money being smuggled out of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

“The Investigation Unit is currently handling seven cases involving undeclared money seizures while exiting the islands, totaling $161,675. Mr. Speaker, this unit is also investigating other immigration and offenses, including failure to observe conditions on work permit, unlawful entry in gainful occupation, employing prohibited persons, furnishing false information, remaining in the islands beyond the permitted time, and possession of forged documents.

The unit also investigates each vessel intercepted by the Border Force.”

While partnerships with other agencies will continue to be a hallmark maneuver in the operational tactics of the Border Force, it is also working its more organic mandates with important results, said the minister.

Two portable container scanners are added to the Anti-Smuggling Team’s assets; it’s said the equipment has helped with the detection of 22 instances of undeclared goods between January and February.  This figure, according to the statistics shared by Minister Robinson, may be outpacing the find on undeclared goods between October and December 2024 when there were 66 instances over the three months.

“Since January of this year ,161 general containers were selected for examination, uncovering four breaches. This resulted in the collection of $7,062.35 in duties and $3,000.00 in penalties and fines.”

More significant figures came when the minister broadened the scope of Border Force operations.

“Mr. Speaker, the Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force continues to uphold its commitment to trade compliance, recovering a whopping $1,389,347.71 in unpaid customs duties and fees from five major importers between September 2024 and January 2025.

This latest recovery brings the total amount collected through compliance checks to $1,752,539.11 between May 2024 and February 2025.”

Jamell Robinson, the Deputy Premier is also pleased with the training exposure of the Border Force which is building up to a building out of the manpower of the team.

“…under the Border Force Foundation Programme, newly recruited officers have recently begun their twelve (12) weeks onboarding programme which includes classroom training, e-Learning courses and on-the-job training. Our teams across the ministry continue to attract outstanding talent, and some highly technical skilled expertise for specialist areas and there is an aggressive approach to training and upskilling our workforce.”

The minister had a warning for employers engaged in or contemplating illegal hiring.

“If you are bringing your friends and family here and putting them to work at your business establishment or to help with the construction of your property, without proper documentation, I also want you to know that, that is illegal. I beg you to stop it now, and have them leave, because we will come like a thief in the night and find you.

Mr. Speaker, I make no apologies for saying this because that there is unfair to the business who have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in work permit fees, and a Turks and Caicos Islander who could have otherwise been employed. It doesn’t matter nationality, there is no discrimination with the law. Leave before we find you, because we will deal with you at the full extent of the law,” said Robinson.

The statement was made during the Wednesday March 12, 2025 meeting of the House of Assembly.