Trump's 'very bad' Bahamian drug dealers? U.S. data shows little evidence

[webfact]

Trump's 'very bad' Bahamian drug dealers? U.S. data shows little evidence

By Brad Brooks

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to address the 2019 National Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) week conference in Washington, U.S., September 10, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis

 

(Reuters) - President Donald Trump's concern the United States could open its doors to "very bad drug dealers" by easing immigration rules for the storm-hit Bahamas is undercut by administration data showing the Caribbean plays a small role in the narcotics trade.

 

The era of the 1980s "Cocaine Cowboys," who used speedboats to ferry vast amounts of that drug into South Florida from the Caribbean, has long since passed in large part because of the cooperation between the United States and nations including the Bahamas.

 

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency's most recent assessment of drug trafficking mentions the Bahamas only once in its more than 150 pages, and indeed raises concerns about more potent marijuana flowing from the continental United States to the Caribbean.

 

"There are an extremely small number of people in the Bahamas involved in the level of criminality Trump was talking about, particularly drug trafficking," said Charles Katz, an Arizona State University criminology professor who has worked extensively in the Caribbean, including advising nations on how to fight crime.

 

Hurricane Dorian pummeled the Bahamas with 200-mile-per-hour (320-km-per-hour) winds last week, killing at least 50 people and causing immense destruction among the Abacos islands.

 

“I don’t want to allow people that weren’t supposed to be in the Bahamas to come into the United States, including some very bad people and some very bad gang members and some very, very bad drug dealers,” Trump told reporters outside of the White House on Monday. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).

 

Several Bahamians who lost their jobs or homes to the storm said they were considering moving to the United States temporarily to find work. A bipartisan group of lawmakers including U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott of Florida, members of Trump's Republican Party, called on the White House to temporarily relax visa requirements.

 

Trump, who has made restricting illegal and legal immigration a top policy priority, showed little enthusiasm for that idea when asked about it on Monday by reporters.

 

"Bahamas has some tremendous problems with people going to the Bahamas that weren't supposed to be there," Trump told reporters. "I don't want to allow people that weren't supposed to be in the Bahamas to come into the United States, including some very bad people and some very bad gang members and some very, very bad drug dealers."

 

Those concerns belied the fact that the U.S. State Department's annual International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, filed to Congress in March, widely praised the Bahamas for its fight against the drug trade. It said the Bahamas is not a significant drug-producing country but that it remains a significant transshipment point for illicit drugs bound for the United States.

 

"During 2018, there was a notable increase in communication, effectiveness, and cooperation between Bahamian law enforcement agencies and the United States," the report read. "Demand for cocaine within the country remains low."

 

'CREATING A BOGEYMAN'

The DEA's 2018 National Drug Threat Assessment mentioned the Bahamas just once, in an anecdote about a drug-carrying ship that was intercepted.

 

That report says that most cocaine, heroin and marijuana entering the United States comes through Mexico and Central America. Only 7 percent came through the Caribbean in 2017.

 

In fact, the DEA report stated, there has been an increased drug flow from the continental U.S. to the Caribbean region, as "marijuana users on the U.S. Virgin Islands desire more THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, in their marijuana and are obtaining it from areas in the U.S. where the use of medical marijuana is legal."

 

Vanda Felbab-Brown, a Brookings Institute expert on organised crime and global drug policies, said she thinks it highly unlikely that any cartel figures or members would want to come to the United States. She added that the small domestic market for cocaine in the Bahamas makes it unlikely there would be a significant number of street-level drug dealers who would seek to enter either.

 

"This is all very much Trump creating a bogeyman, which he applies to whatever country he does not want to accept nonwhite immigrants from," she said. "The priority needs to be on those hurting right now."

 

But Todd Bensman a Texas-based senior national security fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies - a hard-line group that pushes for restricting immigration - said that he read Trump's statements as less a concern that cartels will use the opportunity provided by Dorian to plant their foot soldiers on U.S. soil than valid worries about properly vetting those who would be allowed into the country.

 

Just as Dorian destroyed people's homes and took away their livelihoods, it has likely interfered with the operations of drug dealers working in the Bahamas, said Ivelaw Griffith, an expert on Caribbean security, drugs and crime with the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

 

Drug dealers are unlikely to want to face the scrutiny that involves navigating an increased number of search and rescue authorities in the area, Griffith said, adding, they "will provide the kind of exposure to law enforcement that is not conducive to trafficking."

 

(Reporting by Brad Brooks in Austin, Texas; additional reporting by Andy Sullivan in Washington; editing by Scott Malone and Jonathan Oatis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-09-11

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[mtls2005]

Savvy and sly Bahammian drug lords and gang leaders (all four of them), playing the long con, arranged a Cat 5 hurricane to wipe out their island so they could sneak into the U.S.

 

 

Sheesh, it's less than 100 miles by speedboat, plenty of ways to sneak in.

 

 

 

[sammieuk1]

I suppose he meant very bad gang members and very bad drug peoples safety couldn't be guaranteed with so much lead flying around on a daily basis???? 

[Jingthing]

I guess he heard that there are a lot of Haitians there. His brand is being a meanie to migrants and refugees. The US welcoming storm refugees was off brand for him. It's always about him.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Tug]

They have dark skins Donald is what he is he is 100%unamerican to turn away victims of a natural disaster is not the American way

[PremiumLane]

Hey Donnie, facts don't care about your feelings ???? 

[darksidedog]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

"This is all very much Trump creating a bogeyman

And while the majority of us can see that, sadly some will believe whatever nonsense he spouts, regardless of the actual evidence, which once again seems to seriously not back him up. Natural disasters and their aftermath are when a decent country opens its arms and provides assistance.

[ballpoint]

He's just mad at the Bahamas for holding the hurricane up and altering its course so that it missed Alabama.

[Saint Nick]

Aaaaaah...data, shmata!

He only needs one kind of data: the one, he pulls out of his behind!

[usviphotography]

3 hours ago, Tug said:

They have dark skins Donald is what he is he is 100%unamerican to turn away victims of a natural disaster is not the American way

Since when is Trump the King of the Bahamas? They already have a monarch- her name is Elizabeth II. This is the UK's responsibility to deal with. Or any of the other 50 some members of the Commonwealth. US is full and in the midst of a migration crisis. Last thing we need is Bahamians adding to our problems. 

[PremiumLane]

58 minutes ago, usviphotography said:

US is full and in the midst of a migration crisis

you lot over react about anything, it is not in a migration crisis and it is not 'full' 

[Sujo]

1 hour ago, usviphotography said:

Since when is Trump the King of the Bahamas? They already have a monarch- her name is Elizabeth II. This is the UK's responsibility to deal with. Or any of the other 50 some members of the Commonwealth. US is full and in the midst of a migration crisis. Last thing we need is Bahamians adding to our problems. 

Im so sorry they dare to interrupt your dire problems with trying to flee a <deleted>ty little natural disaster that wiped them out.

 

But they are black so its their own fault.

 

Btw. Bahamas are their own country, same as australia, they dont belong to anyone.

[Sujo]

15 minutes ago, PremiumLane said:

you lot over react about anything, it is not in a migration crisis and it is not 'full' 

Cannot possibly be a crisis, trump said he would fix it. Surely after 3 years there cannot be a problem.

 

Or has he failed, again, like repeal and replace on the first day.

[usviphotography]

22 minutes ago, Sujo said:

Im so sorry they dare to interrupt your dire problems with trying to flee a <deleted>ty little natural disaster that wiped them out.

 

But they are black so its their own fault.

 

Btw. Bahamas are their own country, same as australia, they dont belong to anyone.

Queen Elizabeth is their monarch. The Bahamas do not belong to the United Kingdom but they are under her authority. But the Left is not pushing for the Queen to take them in. Nor are they pushing for any of one of the many African nations that belong to same Commonwealth as the Bahamas and are the ancestral homeland of most Bahamians to take them in. Nor are the they pushing for Canada, which is basically the Commonwealth version of the USA to take them. The agenda here is obvious. The only "concern" the Left has for Bahamians is how they can be weaponized to weaken America. Trump's greatest virtue is that as a skilled B.S artist himself, he can immediately recognize the B.S of others and is therefore immune to this sort of Leftist ploy. 

[animalmagic]

5 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Natural disasters and their aftermath are when a decent country opens its arms and provides assistance.

Hang on a minute!  Does that mean that decent countries have to take in Americans after Trump has finished?

[Longcut]

6 hours ago, Tug said:

They have dark skins Donald is what he is he is 100%unamerican to turn away victims of a natural disaster is not the American way

I lived in Florida during the Mariel Boatlift. The U.S. thought at the time it was doing the right thing. It turned out to be a disaster. Sometimes good intentions are just that, good intentions. But, not always the right thing.

[JHolmesJr]

Send them some aid....no need to have the whole country over leeching off the system.

[Sujo]

10 minutes ago, JHolmesJr said:

Send them some aid....no need to have the whole country over leeching off the system.

But thats not why trump is refusing them.

 

they are refused because trump says they are drug dealers

[Proboscis]

7 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Savvy and sly Bahammian drug lords and gang leaders (all four of them), playing the long con, arranged a Cat 5 hurricane to wipe out their island so they could sneak into the U.S.

 

 

Sheesh, it's less than 100 miles by speedboat, plenty of ways to sneak in.

 

 

 

I think that Donrald Twerp does not realize that the Bahamas is not some poverty striken country but is actually quite wealthy and well-run and does not have the sort of gang culture and violence that is the root of emigration in certain poor countries. Hence virtually no migrants to the USA.

[legend49]

Lie meter just ticked over for him. Lie number 12,423 since 2016.

[Saint Nick]

Also, please note: People from the Bahamas coming into the US, after a hurricane ripped their island(s) apart: bad people!

Taliban, killing thousands of US citizens in 9/11 attacks: could be generally invited for political talks!

[samran]

1 hour ago, usviphotography said:

Queen Elizabeth is their monarch. The Bahamas do not belong to the United Kingdom but they are under her authority. But the Left is not pushing for the Queen to take them in. Nor are they pushing for any of one of the many African nations that belong to same Commonwealth as the Bahamas and are the ancestral homeland of most Bahamians to take them in. Nor are the they pushing for Canada, which is basically the Commonwealth version of the USA to take them. The agenda here is obvious. The only "concern" the Left has for Bahamians is how they can be weaponized to weaken America. Trump's greatest virtue is that as a skilled B.S artist himself, he can immediately recognize the B.S of others and is therefore immune to this sort of Leftist ploy. 

Many of your posts are pure factual wastelands at the best of times, and when the opportunity arises you can’t help but inject an inherent racial theme to them. Bizzare thinking at the best of times but not unexpected of your ilk. 

 

In this case that their ‘ancestral’ homelands in Africa, 100 times further away than the US, for some reason owe them, which is closer and frankly more equipped to assist a small country in its own neighbourhood.

 

I mean it must freak out the modern day cross burners to have a highly well educated citizens who’s GDP per person is in the global top 30 heading their way. Their worst nightmare clearly. 

 

 

[klauskunkel]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

"I don't want to allow people that weren't supposed to be in the Bahamas to come into the United States, including some very bad people and some very bad gang members and some very, very bad drug dealers."

What's to worry about? Chances are that those Bahamian very bad people will be killed by US very bad people in one of the mass shootings... statistics, you know.

[rudi49jr]

8 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Savvy and sly Bahammian drug lords and gang leaders (all four of them), playing the long con, arranged a Cat 5 hurricane to wipe out their island so they could sneak into the U.S.

 

 

Sheesh, it's less than 100 miles by speedboat, plenty of ways to sneak in.

 

 

 

Almost choked on my drink I had to laugh so hard. You just made my day, thanks MTLS!

[spidermike007]

What makes Trump such a dangerous man, is that he will say anything that comes into his head. It is rarely ever based on facts. 

 

What he really meant to say is:

 

People with dark colored skin are no good. Alot are criminals and most are poor. Therefore I do not like them. 

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, Proboscis said:

I think that Donrald Twerp does not realize that the Bahamas is not some poverty striken country but is actually quite wealthy and well-run and does not have the sort of gang culture and violence that is the root of emigration in certain poor countries. Hence virtually no migrants to the USA.

In order for him to know that the per capita GDP of the Bahamas is $31,000 per year, he would actually be required to read a brief or do a search on Google. It would require a desire to learn, and to speak and respond with knowledge and armed with the facts. This has never suited the man who knows everything already. 

 

He is behaving in a typically cruel, thoughtless, and heartless manner. That is just who and what the man is. 

[Burma Bill]

What an ignorant and stupid man who has only to look within his own country (USA) for "very bad drug dealers" - the mafia for a start!!

[atyclb]

dont know if one would apply that to natural disaster victims but 

 

Letters

Latin American drug cartels: the biggest threat of the Caribbean

July 5, 2019

The Nassau Guardian

 

0

1739Views

Dear Editor,

Despite how much safer the Caribbean region is on matters of economic stability and less serious forms of crime compared to Central America. However, the larger set of Caribbean nations are plagued by rampant crime between petty and serious offences, more complex street gangs, compromised officials exposed to corruption and wasted funds on security forces and failed youth reform programs. Those countries are being destabilized by mere criminal gangs controlling the streets and corrupt officials who lay in bed with major gang leaders.

The problems from Jamaica, Haiti, The Bahamas, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago are beginning to spread to other countries in terms of rampant criminal activities and too many times we ask questions rather than simply investigating the plague of corruption and crime.

 

https://thenassauguardian.com/2019/07/05/latin-american-drug-cartels-the-biggest-threat-of-the-caribbean/

[from the home of CC]

there was a time when a US flotilla of rescue ships would of went to the Bahamas and rescued them all capturing the hearts of many around the world, sadly those days are long gone..

[heybruce]

6 hours ago, usviphotography said:

Since when is Trump the King of the Bahamas? They already have a monarch- her name is Elizabeth II. This is the UK's responsibility to deal with. Or any of the other 50 some members of the Commonwealth. US is full and in the midst of a migration crisis. Last thing we need is Bahamians adding to our problems. 

If the US is full shouldn't we prevent billionaires (and self-proclaimed billionaires) from bringing in foreign wives and their families?