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Vincy man arrested in USVI for smuggling humans from Tortola to St John

- Lorenzo Charles allegedly said he did job to pay a debt & it was not the first time smuggling humans into USVI
A St Vincent and The Grenadines national has been arrested by border patrol authorities in the US Virgin Islands and placed before the court for attempting to smuggle people into St John, US Virgin Islands from Tortola, [British] Virgin Islands.
CRUZ BAY, ST John, USVI- A St Vincent and The Grenadines national has been arrested by border patrol authorities in the US Virgin Islands and placed before the court for attempting to smuggle people into St John, US Virgin Islands from Tortola, [British] Virgin Islands.

Lorenzo Charles also reportedly admitted his guilt to Customs and Border Protection officials, even telling them he had done similar illegal operations before.

CBP agents used night vision goggles to spot boat

According to the VI Consortium today, February 27, 2024, CBP Marine Interdiction Agents were patrolling the coastline near Leinster Bay in St John on the evening of February 23, 2024, when they spotted a boat near the shoreline of Tortola.

According to court documents, using their night vision goggles, the agents say they followed the vessel’s journey from Tortola, across international waters, and into Leinster Bay near the Annaberg ruins. The boat, officials say, was operating with no navigational lights on board.

After the boat turned around and began heading back to Tortola, the agents activated their own lights and sirens, commanding the vessel to heave to. The captain, identified as Lorenzo Charles, a citizen of St Vincent and the Grenadines, was apprehended and the boat towed to St Thomas.

6 persons on board including minor

Apart from Charles, there were five others on board - three Indian nationals including a minor, one Argentinian national, and a national of the Dominican Republic. All six were determined not to be citizens of the United States, and had entered the country illegally. 

According to court records, Charles seemingly admitted guilt as soon as he was questioned, telling a Homeland Security Investigations special agent that he knows it was wrong to bring people across in this manner.

Captain allegedly did job to clear a debt

However, he explained that he borrowed $4000 for someone he reportedly did not name. He was later contacted to “clear the bill,” according to documents before the court, and understood that to mean that he must perform a service to satisfy his debt. He met the person who had loaned him the money at a location in West End Tortola, and saw the five passengers being helped aboard the vessel. Once everyone was loaded, Charles said he departed from Tortola, driving slowly at first, until he received a call from the unnamed individual saying that he needs his money. Then he continued with the trip in earnest, he told agents.

Not his first rodeo!

The boat did not have GPS equipment on board, but Charles told law enforcement that he could clearly see St John from Tortola. He admitted to knowing the correct way to enter the US, and also reportedly confessed to having smuggled people across illegally around three times before this trip. This run, Charles said, was supposed to have cleared the remaining $1000 balance of his debt to the unnamed individual. 

The passengers, when questioned, said they had paid someone other than Charles to be taken from Tortola to St John. 

A detention hearing is set for Tuesday, February 27, 2024, before US Magistrate Ruth Miller. Prosecutors have asked for Charles to be detained ahead of trial, as they argue he presents a flight risk. However, if a suitable third-party custodian can be identified and accepted by the court, the state will not object to pre-trial release.

24 Responses to “Vincy man arrested in USVI for smuggling humans from Tortola to St John”

  • he again? (27/02/2024, 09:51) Like (16) Dislike (1) Reply
    WAIT! HE WASN'T IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW HERE IN THE BVI SOME TIME BACK?
  • jack (27/02/2024, 09:53) Like (18) Dislike (4) Reply
    These are the kind of hustle they only know about,if he in dept,he should have sell them Gucci chain and rings to pay out,or find a regular 8 to 5 job rather than sitting on the streets waiting for a hustle.
  • Jail him then send him.... (27/02/2024, 10:00) Like (33) Dislike (1) Reply
    They need to crack down hard on this crap. Jail him then send him home. I hope they find this unnamed person too. Too much filth and pollution in the land with wrong doings.
  • He gone (27/02/2024, 10:08) Like (13) Dislike (1) Reply
    The USBP don’t play when it comes to its boarder’s.
  • Mrs Tubman (27/02/2024, 10:14) Like (18) Dislike (1) Reply
    How many more are in Tortola pendingng trip to the USVI? When did t h ey arrive in the BVI and transported from where and by whom?
    The BVI appears to be conveniently void of participating patrol...the sightings and apprehensions of illegal entering and departures are captured by the USVI.
  • asking for a friend (27/02/2024, 10:34) Like (14) Dislike (3) Reply
    What about when the police did the same thing and that man is now an officer?
  • ... (27/02/2024, 10:50) Like (25) Dislike (2) Reply
    immigration here is to blame most of them come on temp work permits or visiting permits and we have no record of them leaving
    • smh (27/02/2024, 14:41) Like (13) Dislike (6) Reply
      How is immigration to blame?? These persons present the valid paper work to enter .. are the officers to know their motives is to smuggle???
      • .... (28/02/2024, 07:34) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        immigration less bad when last they did a raid...they in directly legalize whoring in the BVI giving a lil square bar 8 permits for bartenders
  • Myrr Maid (27/02/2024, 11:42) Like (20) Dislike (2) Reply
    They and most especially the captain Lorenzo Charles is in US custody and has been arrested and charged by the US. In these VI ,his name and identity would be absent and hidden,follow up and outcome would be forever absent.
    No doubt,we will learn the identity of who hired him for this job and more details about local activities in this realm. Thank You USVI.
    • ,,b (27/02/2024, 13:17) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
      they no the usual players but it all boils down to the time you throw at him
  • NAIL HIS ARZ (27/02/2024, 15:31) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    TO THE CROSS / AH GAH AH DONE BUILD
  • Church Hill (Winston) (27/02/2024, 15:44) Like (6) Dislike (3) Reply
    he probably have help from members of the a force. how long have it been going on
  • Real Talk (27/02/2024, 21:11) Like (5) Dislike (6) Reply
    Boy them catch yo scruffy black behind back vincy to plant dashing lol
  • Chpz (28/02/2024, 05:19) Like (4) Dislike (4) Reply
    You all hating the man when he never badmind url….we bvi landers be doing the drugs,killing,robbing and etc but we pointing fingers at another ….learn to stop judge people ….did he kill someone….Noooo but you guys have the worse to say. Our own government betrayed us trying to bring drugs in the territory so who are you to judge ….url must stop it….so many of our people in the bvi smuggling people drugs and money so url need to take a look in the mirror before pointing fingers
  • smh (28/02/2024, 08:07) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    Bad man with diarrhea mouth!
    • IDI (29/02/2024, 03:08) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      You an idiot not to see the news gives what it want …another hater
  • smh (28/02/2024, 19:01) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Who ain't talking over the man chain and ring, ND who glad to see the man in cuffs clearly shows how jealous minded, badmind ND watchful alyo could be d man ain't first, funny how the black can be so joyful to see another black fall than to say something positive, nobody knows but soo ready to point fingers, the world could never be level
  • Big Slick Willie (05/03/2024, 10:42) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    LOL. Come on man. We're not talking about smuggling people in the real United States and these folks would never get off St. Thomas without the proper visa. Lighten up folks. People went to various islands by boat back in the day making babies. Just keeping it in the Caribbean family.


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