U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced on July 13 two incidents where inbound passengers to the Cyril E. King Airport and the Henry L Rohlsen Airport in the U.S. Virgin Islands attempted to smuggle firearms, ammunition and bulletproof vests in violation to local law. The U.S. Virgin Islands has its own laws regarding possession of firearms and ammunition.
On July 11, a CBP Contraband Enforcement Team inspected all inbound luggage from a flight arriving to St. Croix from Miami. Inside six checked luggage lags, officers found three AR15 rifles and eight handguns.
On July 6, CBP officers inspected a passenger and his luggage arriving from Charlotte, North Carolina, finding a Glock 22 – .40 caliber, a Glock 27 .40 caliber, a Z-15 Multi Caliber Rifle, a Mossberg 12GA Shotgun. Officers also found multiple rounds of ammunition to include (69) 9 mm rounds, (120) 5.56, (27) .45 caliber rounds, (123) .40 caliber rounds, and (68) 5.7 x 28 mm armor piercing rounds. The passenger was also in possession of two bulletproof vests, one of which was armor plated.
In all incidents, the Virgins Islands Police received custody of the weapons for disposition under local law.
