Three of the 15 migrants apprehended by TCI Regiment recruits.
COCKBURN TOWN, Turks and Caicos--While undergoing training in Long Bay, Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) Regiment recruits captured fifteen migrants who were hiding in the bush following their recent arrival to Providenciales on a drug laden vessel.
The bold move was executed at about 12:00am on Wednesday, July 28, as the 40 male and female cadets were going through another one of their training exercises.
Stunningly, that training exercise was set up to be the capture of illegal vessels and migrants seeking to enter the territory via the sea. Training swiftly turned into reality as sentries set up at the perimeter of the base spied movement in the bushes.
Assuming it to be part of the exercise, the sentries approached the movement, and quickly deduced that the scenario was in fact real, and the movements in the bush were those of recently arrived illegal migrants in hiding.
Upon further inspection of the area of capture later that morning, their boat was discovered along with a large quantity of drugs which was found among the migrants’ possessions.
Those captured were awaiting pick up by persons who facilitate this illegal trade, Governor Nigel Dakin told Weekly News on Wednesday afternoon at the training site. The governor was at the site to congratulate and speak with the recruits. Accompanying him were several United Kingdom (UK) dignitaries who were in the TCI to attend the passing out parade for the soon to be freshly minted marines on Saturday, July 30.
On his Instagram page, the governor went into a bit more detail about the capture, writing: “A field exercise over the last two days, designed to train and test on their two key missions – support to the territory during natural disasters, and support to the police to counter illegal migration efforts – took an unexpected and successful operational twist.”
The governor said creole language skills in the TCI Regiment helped get a rapid understanding of the situation when the sentries approached the hiding migrants. They were quickly handed over to the police.
“What a marvellous example of the utility of this regiment and it has not finished its basic training yet,” the governor told Weekly News.
Also at the training site on Wednesday afternoon was Commanding Officer Ennis Grant, who was bursting with pride at the well-executed capture earlier that day.
“I am very proud that our men were able to do this. The men really stood up to the challenge, they executed themselves well. We are very, very proud of the recruits. I am also humbled by this, but I am also relieved,” said Grant.
Governor Dakin could barely contain his pride in his social media post: “You can imagine the levels of morale when I visited today; they joined the regiment to serve – and to make a difference – and that is exactly what they are now doing. I hope to see them all at their passing out parade on Saturday, but to have delivered operational effect, before passing out of basic training, is – for me anyway – something I have never come across, and I am glad, if not surprised, that the first time I have seen this is in the Turks and Caicos Islands.” ~ Turks and Caicos Weekly News ~
