Drug Trafficking

The Free National Movement, recognising that the international drug cartel, as a result of its seemingly inexhaustable funds, is able to circumvent efforts by legitimate, democratic Governments to stop drug crime and to separate drug criminals from their ill-gotten wealth; and further recognising the capacity of those illegal cartels to ensnare, through bribery and fear, many citizens who in the normal and ordinary conduct of their lives would never break the law, has stregthened the legislative arsenal of The Bahamas to preserve the integrity of The Bahamas’ financial services sector through the adoption of anti-money laundering legislation.

The FNM Government has further strengthened anti-illicit drug legislation by the adoption of legislation making criminal conspiracy an extraditable offence, and has amended legislation to increase mandatory minimum sentences involving drug and armed crime.

The Free National Movement also recognises that the new phenomenon of marijuana cultivation is being inflicted upon The Bahamas in a number of Family Islands where sparse population and limited police presence hamper efforts at detection and destruction of illegal farms.

In its second term an FNM Government will:

Enhance the regulation of the import and export of restricted substances.

Expand anti-drug initiatives to target the new phenomenon of cultivation of marijuana on Family Islands.

Seek the expansion of the joint US-Bahamas Anti-Narcotics Programmes to include additional radar coverage and the re-introduction of aerostat balloon radars in The Bahamas, particularly in the southern reaches of the archipelago.

Continue the extensive bilateral and multilateral cooperative programmes with like minded states, to combat the cultivation, production, transshipment and consumption of illicit drugs and psychotropic subtances.

Continue and expand support for school and community based anti-drug abuse programmes.

| CONTENTS | NEXT |