CHARLOTTE AMALIE – Alert federal officers noticed Monday afternoon that a Minnesota air traveler clearing customs in St. Thomas was wanted on an outstanding criminal warrant and she is now in official custody. Crystal Renee Simmons, 34 of Coon Rapids, Minn. was arrested at 5:00 p.m. Monday and charged with

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents arrested one Puerto Rican boat captain for attempting to smuggle more than $100,000 in cash by sea to St. Thomas. Blas Sebastian Panzardi Davila of San Juan, appeared Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller for an initial appearance after his

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A St. Thomas man admitted in federal court to smuggling 11 pounds of marijuana into the territory last year, authorities said. Trevon Richards, 31, of Charlotte Amalie, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller and pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute less

MIAMI — V.I. Police Department officer and V.I. National Guardsman Shakim Mike was aboard a chartered jet laden with at least 724 pounds of cocaine when it touched down in Opa-Locka, Florida on Tuesday night. Florida federal prosecutors have charged two Virgin Islands police officers and four others with drug

SAN JUAN — The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency says security personnel recovered at least 4,188 pounds of cocaine valued about $65 million in Caribbean waters last month.  CBP said on December 18, an Airborne Early Warning crew detected a  45-foot go fast vessel and coordinated with law

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A St. John man was given two years in federal prison for transporting an illegal resident via ferry to St. Thomas, authorities said. Courtney Matthias was sentenced today on his conviction for transporting an illegal alien, U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert said. U.S. District Court Judge Robert

SAN JUAN — With the holiday season ending, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are reiterating  their consumer alert for counterfeit and pirated goods with regard to online shopping.   The San Juan Field Office, which is responsible for multiple ports of entry in Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says crews from its Caribbean Air and Marine Branch (CAMB) have collaborated with federal and local law enforcement partners in disrupting a human smuggling attempt in the Caribbean Sea near Puerto Rico, resulting in the capture and repatriation of 15 individuals.

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A Texas man was detained after allegedly trying to smuggle 9.5 pounds of marijuana into St. Thomas that he told authorities he planned to smoke all by himself. A federal criminal complaint has been filed against Lequan Jaheem Pemberton, of Austin, for possession with intent to distribute

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A man who had 32 vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana in his luggage at the St. Thomas airport admitted in federal court that he was a drug dealer, authorities said. Sheldon Stuart “Shellz” Isles, 38, of St. Thomas, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller in District Court