An illegal vessel transporting forty-three (43) irregular migrants was intercepted yesterday evening following a coordinated response by several law enforcement agencies.
At approximately 8:30 PM on May 20, 2025, the United States Coast Guard (USCG), operating via aerial surveillance, identified a suspicious 30-foot Panga-type vessel heading toward Providenciales. The sighting prompted immediate action by local authorities.
The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force Marine Branch, supported by the TCI Regiment and the TCI Border Force, along with other ground units, were notified and promptly deployed to intercept the vessel.
The Marine Branch successfully located and intercepted the vessel at the given coordinates, which was transporting forty-three (43) individuals, comprising thirty-seven (37) males and six (6) females, one of whom was a minor.
The irregular migrants and the vessel were safely brought ashore to Providenciales for processing by the Immigration Task Force.
The RT&CIPF remains grateful to our officers, international partners, and local partners for successfully and safely intercepting the vessel that illegally entered our borders. This shows that the layers of security in place are increasingly effective, and we continue to build our defensive measures to tackle this type of crime.
The RTCIPF asks the public to notify the closest police station, contact 911, the Serious Crime Unit at 231-1842, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477, and anonymously give any information on illegal activity.
Additionally, persons are encouraged to download the Crime Stoppers P3 app and share information anonymously.