Premier Andrew Alturo Fahie and BVI Ports Authority Managing Director Oleanvine Pickering Maynard had been arrested on the Miami-Opa Locka Government Airport, the affidavit says. Maynard’s son Kadeem Stephan Maynard was once additionally arrested, it says.
Fahie and the Maynards are being hung on fees of conspiracy to import 5 kilograms or extra of cocaine and conspiracy to launder cash, the affidavit says.
CNN has been not able to decide if any of them have legal professionals.
The affidavit alleges that starting on or about October 16, 2021, a confidential supply with the USA Drug Enforcement Management had a number of conferences with “a bunch of self-proclaimed Lebanese Hezbollah operatives … who said that that they had trade ties to South Florida and the Center East.” The ones conferences came about at the Island of Tortola within the British Virgin Islands, the grievance alleges.
During the ones conferences, the confidential supply requested the gang to assist facilitate the usage of Tortola as a short lived garage port for cocaine transported from Colombia by way of boat and destined for the USA, it says. The supply’s plan would even have integrated laundering of the drug proceeds.
The British Virgin Islands is a British in another country territory positioned within the Caribbean, to the east of Puerto Rico. The islands are a part of the Virgin Islands archipelago, along the USA Virgin Islands and the Spanish Virgin Islands.
Consistent with the affidavit, the gang agreed to introduce the supply to senior participants of the British Virgin Islands executive who may be offering coverage, for a value. A member of the gang stated he would way the pinnacle of Fahie’s safety body of workers and arrange a gathering. A gaggle member additionally claimed that he “owned” Oleanvine Maynard, in step with the affidavit.
Final month, the supply met with each Oleanvine Maynard and her son Kadeem to iron out how the operation would paintings and the jobs that they and Fahie would play, the affidavit says.
On April 7, 2022, the supply went to Tortola and met with the Maynards, then all of them met with Fahie, the affidavit says. Throughout a protracted force to the assembly, Fahie allegedly complained to the supply that “the British did not pay him a lot,” the affidavit says.
The supply instructed Fahie that he labored for other folks in Mexico, they usually sought after use of the ports in Tortola totally free passage of three,000 kilograms of cocaine at a time. The cocaine, which might come from Colombia, would cross in the course of the BVI, then Puerto Rico on its strategy to Miami and New York, the supply instructed them, in step with the affidavit.
The supply proposed a share of the cocaine gross sales in the USA as fee for his or her involvement in serving to cross the medication in the course of the BVI ports. The fee quantity presented was once 12% of the predicted sale worth in Miami, which Fahie estimated to be greater than $7.8 million. Fahie allegedly asked $500,000 in advance and an extra $83,000 he had to pay again a debt he owed to anyone in Senegal, in step with the affidavit. The supply additionally presented to fund Fahie’s re-election marketing campaign, and requested to assist make a choice Fahie’s eventual successor to the premiership.
The events agreed to do a three,000 kilogram take a look at run, which might be adopted by way of 3,000 kilograms coming in the course of the island two or thrice a month for the following 4 months, the affidavit alleges.
Consistent with the affidavit, the events set in movement a plan for the supply to go away $700,000 in money on a personal jet on the Miami-Opa Locka airport that might be retrieved by way of Oleanvine Maynard and an unknown person and flown again to the BVI. Kadeem Maynard additionally brokered a facet care for the supply the place he would obtain 60 kilograms of cocaine every week to promote, the affidavit alleges. He was once additionally liable for ensuring the jet with the $700,000 from Miami could be allowed to land within the BVI and not using a problems, it states.
An arrest made
On April 28, Fahie and the supply went to a airplane on the airport in Opa-Locka, the place the supply confirmed him $700,000 in money that was once for him and Oleanvine Maynard. The cash was once in clothier buying groceries luggage, the affidavit says. As Fahie exited the airplane after seeing the cash, he was once taken into custody.
Later that morning Oleanvine Maynard was once dropped at the similar airport and airplane and confirmed the $700,000, the affidavit says. The supply gave her $200,000 and instructed her that was once her fee and that the remainder of the cash was once for Fahie. He confident her the cash could be packaged and hidden ahead of the flight. As she exited the airplane, she was once additionally arrested.
The affidavit does now not define the place Kadeem Maynard was once arrested.
British Virgin Islands Governor John Rankin, who’s the territory’s de facto head of state, introduced the arrest of Fahie.
“It’s my responsibility as Governor to let you know that this morning the Honourable Premier Fahie was once detained in Miami on fees associated with conspiracy to import a managed substance and cash laundering,” Rankin stated in a information liberate.
Rankin, who’s a British diplomat, was once appointed by way of the Queen at the recommendation of the British executive. In his remark, Rankin stated the USA executive knowledgeable the British executive of the arrest, which was once a part of a DEA-led operation.
“I realise this might be stunning information for other folks within the Territory. And I’d name for calm presently,” Rankin stated.
Deputy Premier Natalio Wheatley will stay Appearing Premier of the Territory, he stated. Wheatley was once put into position as Appearing Premier whilst Fahie was once abroad. Consistent with a information liberate by way of his place of work, Fahie was once in Miami for the yearly SeaTrade Summit.
CNN has reached out to the British Virgin Islands executive for more info.
In a remark received by way of CNN, Britain’s International Secretary Liz Truss stated she was once appalled by way of the intense allegations towards Fahie.
“This afternoon, the Premier of the British Virgin Islands, Andrew Fahie, was once arrested in the USA on fees associated with medication trafficking and cash laundering,” her remark stated. “I’m appalled by way of those critical allegations.”
Truss additionally referenced an anti-corruption inquiry unrelated to the DEA investigation.
“This arrest demonstrates the significance of the lately concluded Fee of Inquiry. I’ve spoken to the Governor of the BVI and he’s going to be conserving an emergency assembly of the Territory’s Cupboard later as of late. He’ll set out subsequent steps the next day, together with pressing newsletter of the Inquiry’s file,” she added.
The USA Drug Enforcement Management stated in a remark the arrest must ship a “transparent message” to someone bringing medication into the rustic.
“Somebody concerned with bringing unhealthy medication into the USA might be held responsible, regardless of their place. These days is but some other instance of DEA’s get to the bottom of to carry corrupt participants of presidency liable for the use of their positions of energy to supply a secure haven for drug traffickers and cash launderers in change for their very own monetary and political achieve,” DEA Administrator Anne Milgram stated.
CNN’s Max Foster and Mary Kay Mallonee contributed to this file.
