The U.S drone strike which took place in the waters off Bequia on February 13, has led to a large-scale drug proliferation on the main island of St Vincent.
St Vincent’s Minister of National Security St Clair Leacock said the drone strike occurred in the economic zone of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and produced what the Minister describes as “collateral damage” that is now “acting out on land”.
As a direct result of the incident at sea, a massive quantity of cocaine began appearing on the shores of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Leacock notes that anytime cocaine “washes up” in this manner, it leads to significant consequences for the nation.
The value of the drugs recovered is estimated to be over $500 million, or nearly half a billion dollars.
The recovery of these drugs has already led to the arrest of several Vincentians, including individuals from Leacock’s own constituency.
Furthermore, the government anticipates an escalation in crime and violence following the appearance of these drugs on St Vincent’s shores, prompting law enforcement to increase their activity to maintain order.
The government characterizes the strike as an “incident not of [their] making” and expresses disappointment that the United States has not yet provided a full report on the strike, leaving local authorities to manage the fallout without complete information.