Eight Americans were among those arrested in the Bahamas after “high-powered weapons” and cash were found on their boat, according to the authorities.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force announced in a Wednesday news release the Americans, along with one South African and someone from Guyana, were taken into custody Tuesday in Bimini, a small group of western islands about 50 miles east of Miami, Florida.
The ages of the suspects range from 21 to 62 years old.
Shortly after 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday local time, officers from the Alice Town Police Station and the Bahamas Customs Department searched a boat docked at a port. Authorities say they were “acting on intelligence.”
Police say they found three “high-powered weapons,” eleven firearms, a “substantial” amount of ammunition and a “considerable” amount of undeclared cash, which were all confiscated.
Undeclared cash refers to money that has not been reported to the proper authorities.
The U.S. embassy in the Bahamas warns that any traveler entering or exiting the U.S. with more than $10,000, or equivalent foreign currency, must report it. The embassy says failure to declare the cash carried in or out of the Bahamas may lead to the seizure of the cash, and the traveler may be subject to criminal prosecution.
The embassy also said Bahamian customs authorities strictly enforce regulations for the temporary importation and exportation of firearms, noting officials have imposed “stiff penalties” on U.S. citizens who enter the Bahamas with firearms or ammunition.
The Independent has reached out to the Royal Bahamas Police Force for additional comment.
“The Royal Bahamas Police Force extends its appreciation to the Bahamas Customs Department and all involved officers from the Bimini Division for their dedication and collaborative effort in this successful operation. The investigation remains ongoing,” the authorities said.
