During a recent press conference, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security St Clair Leacock faced pointed questions regarding a major domestic security incident involving a destroyed fishing vessel and a massive drug seizure.
The tension arose when a reporter pressed Leacock for an update on the destruction of a fishing vessel off the coast of Bequia or Canouan on Friday, February 13, 2026.
The reporter explicitly referenced a previous radio broadcast in which Leacock allegedly estimated the value of the cocaine tied to the destroyed vessel at $500 million.
However, Leacock forcefully refused to confirm the exact value of the seized drugs or detail the ongoing investigation, stating that releasing such intelligence would compromise the work of the police forces.
“I’m the minister of national security and I believe that I’m better placed than you are with the intelligence as to determine what sets of information should be put out there which will not compromise the police,” Leacock told the reporter.
He pushed back against attempts to pin down the exact monetary value of the drugs, stating he would not allow himself to be drawn into a debate or “pigeonholed” over whether the amount was 499 or 501 million. “Afterwards is 500, 400, 200, 300 million,” he added.
Despite withholding operational details, Leacock did confirm that individuals have been arrested for trafficking in cocaine that authorities believe came from the destroyed vessel.
Seeking to reassure the public, Leacock noted that while the incident presents a challenge that was “not of our creation,” it is being actively addressed.
He confirmed that both the local police force and the Regional Security System (RSS) are currently managing the situation.