Police surveillance powers are set to expand under one of three bills the House of Assembly passed Friday as part of ongoing efforts to comply with international anti-money-crime standards.

The Drug Trafficking Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which now awaits the governor’s assent, would allow a judge to issue a warrant authorising police to tap telephone lines for up to six months for a person suspected of drug offences.

Under the bill, police would also be empowered to seek a warrant to access computers used by a suspect; to place bank accounts under surveillance; and to access banking and other financial records.

Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley said these measures and others in the three bills passed Friday are essential to come into line with recommendations from the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force.

2024 CFATF report

In February 2024, the CFATF delivered a scathing report on how the Virgin Islands was dealing with combating finance-related crime following its latest mutual evaluation.

“In light of the CFATF’s findings, the Virgin Islands has adopted a consistent and calculated approach to addressing the deficiencies highlighted in the mutual evaluation report,” the premier said Friday.

He hailed the proposed drug-trafficking law as a major step forward in that regard.

“The bill is a significant advancement in our legislative framework intended to ensure that our laws align with international best practices and standards, specifically addressing the recommendations issued by the CFATF as a matter of critical importance,” he said.

Expanded powers

Mr. Wheatley added that law enforcers in the territory need expanded powers.

“Key provisions include enhancing the capabilities of law enforcement to conduct covert operations — vital tactics in disrupting drug-trafficking activities,” he said.

Opposition member Marlon Penn (R-D8) said he supported the bill, but added that any new powers should not be abused.

“We have to ensure that those things are done in a transparent way and ensure that there is no fishing expedition and that a person’s phone is just not accessed willy-nilly,” he said.

Deputy Premier Julian Fraser said the territory must do “whatever it takes” to combat the “scourge” of drugs.

Other bills

Also on Friday, the HOA passed the Asset Seizure and Forfeiture (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which the premier said would allow law enforcers to seize money from criminals and use it to improve the territory.

“It does present a significant opportunity to take some of these ill-gotten proceeds of criminal conduct and use them to uplift our society in various ways,” he said.

‘Tens of millions’

Health and Social Development Minister Vincent Wheatley speculated that “tens of millions” of dollars could be seized under the proposed law and used to fund law enforcers, education, sister islands development, infrastructure and enterprise programmes.

But he noted that healthcare was not on the bill’s list of potential recipients, and he asked for it to be included.

The premier added that the bill broadens the definition of a designated offence.

“Currently, the act applies to specific offences,” he said. “However, the amendment will expand its applicability to encompass all criminal offences.”

Third bill

The House also passed the Proceeds of Criminal Conduct (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

All three bills were amended in closed-door committee sessions, but the amendments were not explained in detail and the bills will not be publicly Gazetted until the governor grants his assent.

After passing the three bills, the House adjourned until March 24.