Haitian and Haitian-Bahamian drug trafficking organizations have been identified as major contributors to the drug trade in The Bahamas, according to a U.S. Department of State report.
The International Narcotic Control Strategy Report, which was released earlier this month, details the country's anti-drug efforts and the challenges the government faces.
"Haitian and Haitian-Bahamian drug trafficking organizations continue to play a major role in the movement of cocaine from Hispaniola through The Bahamas," the report stated. "Investigations of these organizations are hindered by an enduring lack of Creole speakers within the DEU.
"Bahamian law enforcement regularly discover drugs during inspections of Haitian sloops that continue to enter Bahamian waters despite being officially prohibited from doing so.
"Information acquired by host country law enforcement suggests that drug trafficking organizations have utilized air drops and remote airfields to deliver large cocaine shipments to the Turks and Caicos Islands and to The Bahamas from Venezuela and Colombia.
"Recent investigations reveal that Bahamian drug trafficking organizations are using the Turks and Caicos Islands as a transshipment point."
The report said U.S. anti-drug-related agencies estimate that there are 12 to 15 significant drug trafficking organizations operating in The Bahamas.
The report further notes that the majority of cocaine seized in recent years has been concealed in containerized cargo transiting the Freeport Container Port on Grand Bahama.
"DEA believes that Colombian traffickers are utilizing containerized cargo as a means to thwart the efforts of law enforcement officials in The Bahamas," the report said.
"Approximately three metric tons of cocaine have been seized at the Freeport Container Port since 2007. Nevertheless, the amounts seized from containers have diminished in recent years, including 2011."
The report said the government "will bolster their ability to fight smuggling from Haitian groups by more actively addressing the institutional barriers to integrating Creole speakers into the DEU and fostering appropriate information sharing between the RBPF, RBDF and the Haitian National Police.
"This approach would further develop an understanding of Haitian drug trafficking organizations operating in The Bahamas and prevent smugglers from exploiting information gaps as they pass between national jurisdictions."
The report said contraband is smuggled through a variety of vessels, using various strategies.
"Larger vessels are known to offload drugs on to small vessels before checking in with Bahamian Customs, and many vessels do not register at all when entering Bahamian waters. The DEU, in conjunction with the DEA, continued a program in Great Inagua to enforce Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas requirements that vessels entering Bahamian territorial waters report to Bahamian Customs," the report added.

Response
When asked about the report yesterday, National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest said he was not pleased with parts of it.
"I think that the relationship between the United States and The Bahamas has always been an excellent one in terms of drug interdiction and drug control," said Turnquest at a press conference at the Office of the Attorney General yesterday.
"We continue to work very closely, particularly with OPBAT (Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos) and other resources and so some of the comments in this years's report I thought were not as accurate as they ought to have been."
Asked specifically about information he thought was inaccurate, Turnquest said the government is taking that up through diplomatic channels and law enforcement channels.
"But we are satisfied that we are one of the leaders in the fight against drug trafficking and drug abuse and anti-drug control efforts," he said.
"We didn't think the report reflected our leadership in that role. And so we are taking that up through diplomatic channels with the Unites States of America."
Turnquest added that the government will launch its anti-drug strategy 2012-2016 by the end of this month.

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