Beware The BVI

[padi176715]

For those traveling to the BVI, being careful is an understatement. The BVI in the past few months has cracked down on every and any kind of violation you can think of. Most recently a BVI Customs boat rammed a boat after the Customs officers had taken the boaters into custody. 4 people hospitalized and one woman had over 40 stictches in her face. The arrested people were then charged fines from $500 - $1000 to avoid prison sentences. In an incident in September a U.S. resident in a personal boat recreationaly fishing 5 miles off shore was arrested and fined $46,000 or one year in maximum security prison. A great way to treat tourists. Find this hard to believe? Most people do. Do a Google search. "Richard Baker Virgin Islands" the truth is much stanger than fiction.

 

[EastEndDiver]

Just curious were any of these tourists doing anything illegal?

 

[Cecil]

They did not register with immigration which will get you into trouble no matter where you go. Now about being rammed that appears to be an accident and not releated to getting busted, although the detail were sketchy in the newspaper.