The government has launched an investigation into reports of predator drones in The Bahamas, after an international article revealed that the United States has been quietly testing the unmanned surveillance flights over The Bahamas for nearly two years.
The Los Angeles Times article states that the Department of Homeland Security plans to expand the unmanned surveillance flights into the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.
The move is intended to fight drug smugglers who have been pushed to the ocean by greater border surveillance.
But Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell said it is an operation that the Christie administration was not unaware of.
“I have in fact organised a briefing with the U.S. Embassy officials on the matter and that briefing will include the minister of national security and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and at that time we will let the public know what the facts are as they are revealed to us.”
The U.S. Embassy has since noted that the U.S. and The Bahamas share a longstanding commitment to combat the flow of illegal drugs and migrants through a variety of joint law enforcement efforts.
“These joint efforts are all the more critical as drug traffickers and human smugglers seek new ways to evade authorities and move illegal contraband throughout the region,” U.S. Embassy spokesperson Erica Thibault, said.
“These joint efforts improve the security of both our counties and have been and remain a fundamental part of excellent relations between our two countries.”
Minister Mitchell did not confirm whether the government would allow the testing to continue, but reiterated its commitment to the fight of drug trafficking.
“We are against drug trafficking,” he said.
“Anything which fights drug trafficking, which is something which saps the legitimate economy in our country, we support and I support. I can only make a general statement on the specifics of what this is about, I have no idea and I would not want to go in that direction.”
Minister Mitchell said the meeting with the U.S. Embassy would take place within the next few days.
