1,440 kilos of cocaine with estimated street value of $144M recovered on VG- RVIPF

VALLEY, Virgin Gorda, VI- A coordinated multi-agency operation conducted between June 17 and 18, 2025, involving the Department of Immigration, His Majesty’s Customs, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF), and external law enforcement partners, resulted in several arrests and the seizure of approximately 1,440 kilograms of cocaine.

The recovered drugs have an estimated street value of $144 million, the RVIPF stated in a press release late Monday, June 23, 2025.

According to the RVIPF, the intelligence-led operation was launched on June 17 following investigations by the Joint Task Force (JTF) into suspected drug trafficking within the Virgin Islands (VI) waters.

Several officers injured

On June 18, 2025, officers discovered a crashed vessel off the coast of Virgin Gorda and recovered large quantities of cocaine scattered in the surrounding area. Seven individuals were arrested in connection with drug trafficking and immigration offences.

As part of the recovery, officers executed a challenging mission involving a 200-foot descent down a steep cliff to retrieve packages lodged between rocks and reef near a local bay.

A number of officers sustained injuries during the operation and were treated on Virgin Gorda and Tortola.