Crime/Police
Former BVI Premier Andrew Fahie Drug Trial Starts

Almost twenty-four months after his apprehension at Miami Airport in the United States, the cocaine smuggling and money laundering trial of former British Virgin Islands Premier Andrew Fahie started on Monday, January 29.
In April 2022, Fahie along with Oleanvine Pickering Maynard, the Managing Director of BVI Ports Authority, and her son, Kadeem Stephan Maynard, were arrested during a sting operation by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The trio was charged with conspiring to traffic cocaine and launder money by facilitating the secure passage of substantial quantities of Colombian cocaine through BVI ports destined for Miami.
The Maynard duo entered into an arrangement with federal authorities, pledging to provide testimony against Andrew Fahie.
In November 2023, Kadeem received a federal prison sentence of nearly five years for his involvement in a cocaine trafficking operation. Currently, his mother is in federal custody awaiting her sentencing day in court.
During the court proceedings on Monday, Fahie’s attorney Theresa Van Vliet filed a motion aimed at restricting prosecutors from introducing any evidence extracted from her client’s phone.
She contended that the material in question included personal health information about Fahie’s relatives, which she argued is irrelevant to the case.
Additionally, Van Vliet raised concerns about whether the Government of the British Virgin Islands had been consulted to address and resolve potential confidentiality or privacy issues related to the evidence.
The submitted evidence encompassed correspondence between Fahie and BVI Police Commissioner Mark Collins, as well as Fahie’s assistant and building contractor.
In December 2023, the prosecution submitted a comprehensive list of exhibits, encompassing recordings of phone conversations and meetings involving Fahie and the Maynards.
The prosecution plans to present data extracted from several of Fahie’s devices, such as a Note 10+ mobile phone and a Surface tablet.
Judge Kathleen Williams has not yet rendered a decision on the defence motion.
The prosecution’s case is that Fahie and the Maynards stood to gain millions, with the funds strategically routed through various businesses and bank accounts to obscure their origin.
The criminal complaint affidavit said they engaged in a sequence of meetings during March and April of 2022 with an alleged drug trafficker to finalise the illicit deal.
The affidavit contends that Fahie and Oleanvine Maynard were responsible for obtaining necessary licences, ensuring the concealment of cocaine-laden vessels within BVI ports, and discreetly influencing a potentially troublesome government official.
Discussions reportedly included plans to conduct a trial run involving 3,000 kilograms of cocaine through a BVI port, followed by subsequent shipments of similar quantities once or twice a month over four months.
The alleged compensation for Fahie and O. Maynard was tied to a percentage of the proceeds from the cocaine sales, totaling millions of dollars.
While the Maynards remained in federal custody, in May 2022, Fahie was granted $500,000 bail, a move contested by prosecutors who contended that his release posed a flight risk, coupled with the potential for engaging in illicit activities upon regaining freedom.
The terms of his bail dictated that the former premier remained in Miami, restricted to the leased residence of his two college-aged daughters.
Crime/Police
BVI Police Make Strides in Robbery and Property Crime Investigations

A crackdown on violent crime in the British Virgin Islands has led to multiple arrests and the seizure of illegal firearms and ammunition, authorities announced Friday, March 28.
In a series of targeted search operations, police recovered a semi-automatic handgun and dozens of rounds of ammunition, marking a significant step in the fight against armed robberies and property crimes across the territory.
As part of the ongoing investigations, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) conducted a series of search operations on March 25 at five properties linked to suspects in recent armed robberies. Officers recovered a 9mm Glock semi-automatic pistol and 41 rounds of assorted ammunition.
Authorities detained eight individuals in connection with the raids. Three were released after questioning, while five have been formally charged.
Ernest Jacobs, 59, Prynce Jacobs, 19, and a 16-year-old male, all of Josiah’s Bay, have been charged with keeping an unlicensed firearm and two counts of unlawful possession of explosives. A 14-year-old male of Purcell Estate has been charged with two counts of robbery. Ravie Joseph, 43, of Josiah’s Bay, has been charged with overstaying a landing permit.
The charges stem from separate robbery incidents on Tortola on March 3. Police had previously charged and remanded another minor in connection with the same crimes.
Acting Commissioner of Police Jacqueline Vanterpool lauded officers for their work and underscored the importance of removing illegal weapons from the streets.
“The removal of illegal firearms and ammunition from our communities is a critical step in reducing the threat of violence and protecting innocent lives,” Vanterpool said in a statement. “To date, a total of nine illegal firearms and more than 300 rounds of ammunition have been recovered as part of our intensified operations. We remain resolute in our mission to disrupt criminal networks and bring offenders to justice.”
Authorities continue to urge residents to come forward with any information that may aid ongoing investigations. Tips can be submitted to the RVIPF Intelligence Unit at 368-9339 or anonymously via Crime Stoppers at 800-8477, or internationally at (284) 800-8477.
Crime/Police
Drew Farrell Charged With Manslaughter in Virgin Gorda Stabbing

The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) have charged Drew Farrell, 42, of The Valley, Virgin Gorda, in connection with a fatal stabbing that claimed the life of Rasheel Thomas Alexander.
Farrell who remains in police custody is expected to appear before the Magistrate’s Court in the coming days.
The charge follows an ongoing investigation into the stabbing incident, which has drawn significant public attention. Police have not yet disclosed details surrounding the circumstances of the attack.
Authorities are urging anyone with information related to the case to come forward. Tips can be provided to the RVIPF Intelligence Unit at 368-9339, or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 800-8477. International callers can reach Crime Stoppers at (284) 800-8477.
Crime/Police
Oleanvine Maynard Released from U.S. Federal Custody After Serving Less Than Two Years

Oleanvine Maynard, the former director of the British Virgin Islands Ports Authority, was released from federal custody in the United States on Friday, having served just under two years of her nine-year sentence for drug-related offences.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) confirmed that she is no longer listed as “In Custody” but provided no explanation for the March 21 early release.
Maynard, 63, had been serving her sentence at the Baltimore Residential Reentry Management Centre (RRM) following her conviction in June 2023 for her involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy orchestrated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Her son, Kadeem Stephan Maynard, 33, who was convicted alongside her, is also due for release soon—on 6th April. Currently held at the Miami Federal Detention Centre (FDC), Kadeem was sentenced to 57 months but will serve just over two years, having pleaded guilty in 2023.
The mother and son duo had struck a deal with the DEA to secure reduced sentences. However, the exact circumstances surrounding their early release remain unclear.
In the U.S. federal system, sentence reductions are not uncommon and can occur for a variety of reasons, including significant assistance with ongoing investigations or participation in rehabilitative programmes.
The female Maynard was the star witness in the prosecutions’ case against former Premier of the British Virgin Islands, Andrew Alturo Fahie, convicted in February 2024 on charges of conspiracy to import cocaine and money laundering.
Yet, without official confirmation from authorities, the precise nature of Maynard’s release remains speculative.
Meanwhile, Fahie remains incarcerated at Jesup Federal Correctional Institution (FCI). His release date is set for May 30, 2033, and his case continues to attract global attention.
As Oleanvine Maynard prepares to reintegrate into society, public interest turns to what her next steps will be and how her return will be received.
Maynard, her son Kadeem, and ex-Premier Fahie were arrested in April 2022 during a U.S. DEA sting operation in Miami, Florida. The case stemmed from an undercover investigation in which DEA agents, posing as members of the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel, approached the officials with an offer to facilitate the trafficking of thousands of kilograms of cocaine through the British Virgin Islands to the U.S. mainland.
Testimony from the agents revealed that Fahie and the Maynards had agreed to assist in the drug shipments in exchange for bribes amounting to millions of dollars. Court documents also disclosed that Oleanvine Maynard was happy to play a central role in the operation, referring to the opportunity as her “blessing.”
The arrests raised serious concerns about government corruption and links to drug trafficking within the territory, a region heavily dependent on tourism.
Oleanvine Maynard’s early release continues to stir debate both within the territory and internationally.
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