ST. THOMAS — The vigilance of officers from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) here resulted in the identification and apprehension of two individuals with active warrants during the past weekend, a press release CBP issued on Monday has revealed.
On October 24, Andre STOUTT, 31, a citizen of the British Virgin Islands (BVI), presented himself for CBP inspection when arriving at Cruz Bay, St. John Port of Entry from West End Tortola, BVI. Law enforcement databases alerted to an outstanding warrant for his arrest for the offense of Vehicle Theft out of Brevard County Sheriff’s Office in Florida. CBP officers confirmed that the warrant was active, detained him and turned over his custody to the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) for extradition procedures.
The following day, October 25, during pre-departure inspections at the Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas, CBP officers identified another individual with an outstanding warrant. Mr. Richard Morales-Aponte, 30, a United States Citizen and resident of Wellington, Florida, attempted to board a flight bound to San Juan, Puerto Rico. St. Thomas CBP officers found he had a full extradition warrant out of the City of Yonkers Police Department, in New York, for Dangerous Drugs charges. After confirming the warrant and coordinating with Homeland Security Investigation agents and local police, his custody was turned over to VIPD for extradition.
“The identification of these travelers with outstanding warrants from different jurisdictions is just a sample of CBP’s mission as guardians of our nation’s borders,” stated St. Thomas Acting Area Port Director Vinroy Douglas. “Customs and Border Protection routinely cooperates with other law enforcement agencies in the enforcement of U.S. laws.”
CBP officers detect many individuals wanted by authorities in the continental U.S. upon their arrival to the USVI, or upon their return to the mainland from the USVI, according to the release.
Feature Image: Two Border Patrol agents and a CBP officer stationed at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
Image Credit: CBP Photographer Josh Denmark.
Tags: customs and border protection
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