The captain of a boat that entered the territory without clearance late Sunday evening was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of ammunition after a search of the vessel yielded a firearm magazine containing ten rounds, the Police Information Office stated on Monday.
The captain — Patrick Faudrois, a 29-year-old Haiti native who resides in St. Thomas — was also fined for various immigration and customs breaches, and he was scheduled to appear before Magistrates’ Court at the next available sitting, police said.
Mr. Faudrois was among five people aboard the boat, all of whom initially were arrested for illegal entry after officers of the Joint Task Force detected the vessel travelling into the VI without making clearance, according to the PIO.
The two males and three females — all of whom reside in St. Thomas — were detained after searches of bags onboard the vessel yielded the firearm magazine, according to police. However, all besides Mr. Faudrois were later discharged, police said, adding that the boat was seized.