Crime/Police
Customs Commissioner Wade Smith Charged With Breach Of Trust In A Public Office.
The British Virgin Islands government faces a fresh scandal with the arrest of Commissioner of Customs Wade Smith after an inquiry into the operations at HM Customs.
Smith was arrested on Wednesday, December 13 by investigators of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) and charged with one count of breach of trust in a public office.
In 2022, Smith, who ran for the 2023 general election with the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM) in the Fifth Electoral District but was unsuccessful, initiated a judicial review after being placed on administrative leave.
The RVIPF December 13 statement confirmed the arrest of a high-ranking government official but refrained from revealing the identity, stating that the “matter will now be sub-judice.