The Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDOCS), formerly Her Majesty’s Prisons, has been in existence in The Bahamas since the early days of the colony’s development. Presently, the facility comprises 7 correctional housing units including; Maximum, Medium, Minimum, Female Housing Units, Annex (Pre-release Dorm), Remand Center, and Central Intake.

Bahamas Department of Correctional Services Drug Challenge Program

Rehabilitation, Treatment and Substance Abuse Services

The Bahamas National Drug Agency (BNDA) was formed in 1994, under the Ministry of Health, in order to streamline purchasing of medicines for public sector health facilities. After the formation of the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA), the BNDA resumed its functioning under the administrative oversight of the PHA as a “shared service” unit. This means that while the PHA has responsibility for the BNDA, the Agency provides services for all public sector pharmacies.

Under the PHA, the scope of the BNDA’s functions also expanded to include:

• Supply management of pharmaceuticals & associated supplies, inclusive of  tendering exercises;
• Development of policy and processes related to pharmacy management & pharmaceutical care;
• Collaboration with institutional Pharmacy & Therapeutic committees;
• Provision of training in various areas of pharmacy practice & supply management;
• Processing of national (public & private) narcotic medication records; and
• Provision of technical advice to the PHA relating to pharmacy matters.

Civil Society Bahamas (CSB) was founded in 2002 and incorporated in 2005. It is a Bahamian incorporated organization having a membership consisting of individuals, non-governmental organizations and civil society institutions that seek to manifest the interests and will of Bahamian citizens. CSB is a non-partisan, non-governmental, civil society organization which focuses on the betterment of individuals through improvement of their general social, economic, spiritual and mental welfare. This objective of betterment for Bahamians is further supported through alliances with international organizations such as The Organization of American States (OAS), International Labor Organization (ILO), United Nations (UN), Inter-American Bank (IDB) / IDB ConSoc Bahamas and others.

The Department of Social Services is a governmental agency which is responsible for Child Protection, Child Care Facilities and Child Placement and provides services to children under the age of 18 who have been subjected to any forms of abuse, including physical, verbal, emotional or sexual, and who have been abandoned. The Department of Social services also provides community support, which includes various types of assistance, various outreach centres; and Disability Affairs Division, which identifies and coordinates services available to persons with disabilities throughout the commonwealth.

As demand reduction stakeholder, the Department of Social Services will be engaged in partnerships with BDOCS assist former drug abusers in probation and parole exercises, and where possible, to offer or arrange half-way house accommodation and other services for them, with a view to reducing recidivism both of drug abuse and return to BDCOS.

The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) was formed in December, 2000 under the Financial Intelligence Unit Act, 2000.  This Act outlines the functions and powers of the agency.  The FIU is the national centre responsible for receiving, analyzing, obtaining, and disseminating information which relates to the proceeds of crime offences under the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Terrorism Acts of The Bahamas.  The FIU is also the body responsible for co-operation between FIU’s in other countries.  In June 2001, the FIU became the 54^th member of Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units.   Mr. Reuben S. Smith Q.P.M, RVM who heads the FIU was appointed Director in June 2013. 

Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) are one of the main weapons in the fight against money laundering and other financial crimes that the Royal Bahamas Police Force uses to initiate money laundering investigations.  According to the most recent figures, the FIU received a total of 297 STRs in 2015 from financial institutions in The Bahamas, inclusive of company service providers, credit unions, domestic banks, offshore banks, attorney-at-law, trust companies, stock brokers, fund managers and real estate agents for analysis.  The 297 STRs received in 2015 represented a 44.87% increase in STRs received over the same period in 2014.  A total of 21 STRs were subsequently forwarded by the FIU to the Commissioner of Police for investigation.

During the same period, a number of requests for assistance with financial investigations were received from the Royal Bahamas Police Force, as well as from foreign financial intelligence units. The FIU provided invaluable assistance to these agencies in the continuous fight against criminal conduct, inclusive of money laundering and terrorist financing.

Great Commission Ministries International (GCMI) is a non-profit, non-government organization, which was founded in Nassau, Bahamas in 1987. GCMI operates shelters for homeless persons, feeding centers, food banks, orphanages and a drug rehabilitation program. Great Commission Ministries was founded by its president Rev. Walter S. Hanchell and is managed by a board of directors. This program has 32 full-time staff members who are assisted by a number of dedicated volunteers who help with day to day operations.

Great Commission Ministries, in 2015 through its affiliate program, Hope House Restoration & Substance Abuse Program offered treatment and rehabilitation services to 51 Bahamian males, ranging in age categories, 30 to 50. Hope House Restoration & Substance Abuse Program is a 12 month, Bible-based rehabilitation program for men challenge with substance abuse, designed to bring about healing, reconciliation and restoration to persons affected by drug or alcohol abuse. The program has been operational for 28 years and since this time hundreds of Bahamian males have benefited from individual, group and family therapy, personal development, anger management and conflict resolution classes.

Vision Statement

To be the pre-eminent law chambers of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

Mission Statement

To promote justice in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas through the delivery of comprehensive and efficient legal services to the government.

Areas of Responsibility

The Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Attorney General is primarily responsible for:

• providing timely legal advice to the government and statutory bodies.
• providing the most efficient and effective legal representation for the government in national and international matters.
• drafting legislation.
• promoting access to justice for all and transparency in the legal system.

The Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) is primarily an armed service whose role also encompasses aspects of the Coast Guard, including disaster relief.  The organization is mandated to defend the Commonwealth of The Bahamas against traditional and asymmetrical threats to national security.  In its role as a lead agency in Supply Reduction of illicit trafficking of drugs and precursors chemicals, the Force continues to guard and protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Bahamas from transnational crime of all kinds. This includes arms trafficking, human trafficking, and migrant smuggling, combating those who are intent on plundering our reliable fisheries resources. During the year 2015 the RBDF was involved in 4 major drug seizures in partnership with other law enforcement agencies.  On Sunday 5th April RBDF Marines and Park Wardens stationed at the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park (ECLAS) were on routine patrol and discovered several bags of suspected marijuana.

In the second incident on Saturday 19th September, 2015 a team consisting of RBDF Marine and DEU Officers on an OPBAT Operation detected a field in Abaco and uprooted a total of 450 suspected marijuana plants 4-5 ft in height.  Thirdly, on Monday 5th October, 2015   one kilo of suspected cocaine was found in Matthew Town, Inagua.  Finally, in the fourth incident on Saturday 24th October, 2015 Intelligence Officers consisting of Police and Defence Force Marines intercepted a 30ft white Midnight Express Go-fast boat in the area Grassy Creek, South Andros. The Total weight of seizure of illegal drugs was estimated to be 1,983 lbs of marijuana, with a street value of two million dollars.  All of the contrabands were handed over to the Drug Enforcement Unit.

Drug Enforcement Unit

During the early 1980’s the effect of drug trafficking and domestic drug abuse was clearly visible on the streets of The Bahamas. The use of illegal drugs became a growing social concern. Some of the main social negative impact included strain on public health, increased in violent crimes and premature deaths among youths.  Additionally, traffickers and street level dealers operated with little regard for the law. 

These negative social ills and publicities became a great concern to The Government of the Bahamas as it had enormous potential to impact our social, economic and international relations. The Royal Bahamas Police Force was faced with the challenge of restoring The Bahamas good name and credibility. This warranted the need for an organized enforcement unit to bring focus to this escalating problem, thus the birth of the Drug Enforcement Unit in 1988.

To date the Drug Enforcement unit continues to make significant positive contributions to both the demand and supply chain.  The unit has formed social and law enforcement partnerships with key stake holders such as the National Anti-Drug Secretariat, Bahamas National Drug Council, schools, civic groups and a strong alliance with Operation Bahamas, America and Turks and Caicos (OPBAT). Many times, officers of the Drug Enforcement Unit have assisted in the arrest of other serious criminals such as murder suspects, firearms traffickers, arm robbers, and escaped felons.

Marine Support Services Branch

The Marine Support Services Branch (MSSB) of the Royal Bahamas Police Force was formed in 1971 with the acquisition of four 60 foot Mark I Keith Nelson type vessels named Acklins, Andros, San Salvador and Eleuthera.  The Unit was tasked with eradicating the escalated 1960s flow of narcotics and illegal immigrants into Bahamian territory.  Evolving from the Police Marine Division was the Police Marine Support Services Branch located on a compound known as the Old Lighthouse Depot, on East Bay Street in Nassau. During 2015, the MSSB was successful in the execution of four major drug interdictions on the high seas which resulted in the seizures 4,573.lbs pounds of suspected marijuana, 4 ‘go–fast’ vessels and the arrest of 10 suspects who were subsequently charged for drug related offences.