Bianca De Marchi-Pool / Getty Images
- Liz Truss said she is "appalled" by the arrest of Andrew Fahie, premier of the British Virgin Islands.
- Courts documents say Fahie was involved in money laundering and conspiracy to import at least 5 kg of cocaine.
- BVI Governor John Rankin said it was "shocking," adding: "I would call for calm at this time."
The UK's foreign secretary has said she is "appalled" after the premier of a British territory was arrested for drugs trafficking and money laundering.
Andrew Fahie, premier of the British Virgin Islands, was arrested in a sting operation in Miami on charges of conspiring to import cocaine into the US and money laundering.
In a statement, BVI Governor John Rankin said it would be "shocking news for people in the territory", adding: "I would call for calm at this time."
The BVI governor acts as a representative for the Queen, while the premier is in charge of daily legislation and law enforcement.
Court papers filed in Florida alleged that Fahie was involved in conspiracy to import at least 5 kilograms of cocaine and money laundering between October 16, 2021, and April 28, 2022, The Guardian reported.
According to the report, undercover agents with the US Drug Enforcement Administration posed as members of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel and set up a meeting between Fahie and Hezbollah operatives to establish a place to store thousands of kilograms of drugs arriving from Colombia.
Liz Truss, the UK's foreign secretary, said: "I am appalled by these serious allegations. This arrest demonstrates the importance of the recently concluded commission of inquiry."
Last year, the UK set up a commission of inquiry into misgovernance in the BVI, which has heard allegations of systemic corruption and misuse of public funds.
YouTube/BVI Inquiry
Last year Sir Geoffrey Cox, the former UK attorney general, came under pressure over allegations he had used his parliamentary office to conduct meetings while working on the inquiry. While the opposition Labour Party referred the matter to the Standards Commissioner, the case was not pursued.
Rankin, who is due to set out the country's next steps on Friday, declined to comment on the specifics of Fahie's arrest but said it was not related to the UK's inquiry.
"What I can confirm is that the arrest was a US operation led by the DEA and is not linked to the commission of inquiry report," he said. "The remit of the commission of inquiry focused on governance and corruption, and was not a criminal investigation into the illegal drug trade."
To avoid unnecessary speculation, I intend to move ahead urgently on publication of the Inquiry Report so the people of the BVI can see its contents and its recommendations in the areas it addresses."
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