An American tourist was arrested for carrying ammunition in luggage at the Turks and Caicos airport, weeks after the arrest of another American tourist who faced jail in the Caribbean.
HDN Newsroom
The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police told CBS News that "a visitor was arrested at the Howard Hamilton International Airport yesterday [May 13th] after ammunition was allegedly found during a routine security check." Police did not provide further details about the name or gender of the person arrested.
This arrest brought the total number of Americans facing charges for ammunition possession in the British territory to five. Four of the detained Americans have said they brought in the ammunition – but by mistake.
Ryan Watson, a 40-year-old Oklahoma father of two, made national headlines after ammo was found in his luggage by airport security in April. He is currently out on bail - though confined to the island while his case moves forward – and officials require him to check in at the Grace Bay Police Station every Tuesday and Thursday. He faces a possible mandatory minimum 12-year prison term.
Just days after Watson's arrest, 30-year-old Tyler Wenrich, a Virginia EMT and father, was detained before boarding a cruise ship on April 20th. He faces a possible 12-year sentence after officials allegedly found two bullets in his luggage last month.
Bryan Hagerich is another American awaiting trial after ammo was found in the Pennsylvania man's checked bag in February. "I subsequently spent eight nights in their local jail," Hagerich told CBS News. "Some of the darkest, hardest times of my life, quite frankly."
Possessing either a gun or ammunition is prohibited in Turks and Caicos, but tourists were previously able to just pay a fine. That changed in February when a court order required even tourists to potentially face mandatory prison time in addition to paying a fine.
