In a major policy shift, the Turks and Caicos Islands have revised their stringent ammunition laws following the arrest of several American tourists who unknowingly carried stray rounds in their luggage. The law, which previously mandated a minimum 12-year prison sentence for innocent firearm-related offenses, has been altered to provide judges with more flexibility in sentencing, reflecting a commitment to justice and fairness.
The change comes in the wake of intense pressure from U.S. Human Rights groups, U.S. lawmakers, and a bipartisan congressional delegation that visited the Caribbean nation to advocate for the release of detained American citizens. Among those affected was Ryan Watson, an Oklahoma resident who was arrested in April when airport authorities found a few stray rounds of ammunition in his bag.
Watson, who had been on vacation, claimed the ammunition was left over from a hunting trip and had no intention of breaking the law.
Under the former legislation, individuals like Watson were required to demonstrate “exceptional circumstances” to avoid severe penalties, including lengthy prison terms. The revised law now allows judges to consider each case’s unique circumstances and impose more lenient sentences if deemed appropriate.
Edwin Astwood, the opposition leader in the Turks and Caicos parliament, emphasized the importance of this legislative change. “This adjustment ensures our legal system remains just and adaptable, allowing judges to differentiate between genuine threats and honest mistakes,” Astwood stated. The aim is to uphold the law while acknowledging that not all offenses warrant the same level of punishment.
Attorney General RhondaleeBraithwaite-Knowles led the initiative to revise the law, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach that respects both the rule of law and the context of individual cases. She highlighted that the amendment resulted from extensive consultation with legal experts and a thorough review of similar legislation in other regions.
The revision has provided much-needed relief for several Americans who had been detained under the previous law. For instance, Bryan Hagerich, a Pennsylvania resident and former professional baseball player, spent over 100 days in jail before being released and fined $6,500. Others, like Tyler Wenrich from Virginia and Michael Lee Evans from Texas, faced significant fines and awaited sentencing.
Turks and Caicos Islands claims the decision to amend the law underscores the country’s commitment to fair treatment and justice for all individuals, including tourists who may inadvertently find themselves on the wrong side of local laws. “With these changes, visitors to the picturesque islands can now have greater confidence in a legal system that is both just and humane.”
Despite the T&C’s about-face, Americans are urged to avoid travel to tropical destinations that have zero tolerance for the individual right to keep and bear arms. Travel safe.
Meaning we are losing millions of tourist dollars.
Please come back and spend your money with us.
or whoops we just shot our income in the foot
I suggested a boycott for that reason when the article first appeared. It must have worked.
Do not spend any Tourist Dollars outside the US. Go to Red States only.
If you want White Sandy Beautiful Beaches go to the Gulf Coast of Florida.
Never leave the USA. Other lands leave one naked for liberties they are accustomed to in America.
Maybe they should screen bags better on the way in instead of finding the contraband on the way out. Confiscate the ammo and fine the tourists a hundred bucks per round on the spot if they want to enter the country.
A friend of ours flew from Jacksonville, FL to Texas, I am not exactly sure which city, but on the homeward flight TSA found his pistol an Argentine PPK clone. 380 no ammo, no magazine. Needless to say, he spent the night in jail, the judge expunged any charges and he had to have the pistol shipped back to an FFL in Florida. Florida being Florida, if they had found the pistol, which his son had put in his computer bag, they might have just said bring this home or have someone come and get it. Years ago, when we… Read more »
The average boat cruising to the Bahamas is better armed than the Bahamian “Navy”. They’re not overly concerned with firearms. They depend on our dollars coming in, but don’t take their groupers or you’ll lose your boat! They’ll ship you home but keep your boat and everything in it. I know guys who’ve lost boats that way.
may be 50.00 bucks. had an incident while going to Cozumel to go scuba diving, we always have a carry bag for our regs and dive computers so they are not misplaced or stolen, on the way back i mistakenly put my dive knife in the bag, they caught it while boarding and said the flight crew would hold it till we land, i thought that was cool ,after we landed they gave it back and the US customs guy went ballistic, i explained to him what happened, he finally cooled down than handed me the pink handle knife back,… Read more »
It’s not shocking that non-shooters (Read TSA) can’t understand the differences in our products when even SHOOTING MEDIA (Called AMMOLAND no less) does not. Bullets are not ammunition and ammunition is not bullets.
Maybe common sense is still in control there. Liberals can’t be everywhere.
No need to spend big bucks on a foreign prison vacation. Just screw up in the same fashion right here in the good old USA. Simply travel with a standard magazine, AR, etc to or through one of the communist states of amerika. Even if you are caught and avoid prison it will give you an understanding of the phrase “the process is the punishment”.
The incompetence of the American TSA shines through these articles. How were they missed at the US airports?
I’m not certain whether offending items were in carry on or checked luggage. Illegal to carry ammo (or even ammo components) into aircraft, so should have been caught if in carry on.
Checked luggage is a different story and I wouldn’t expect TSA to have flagged it. Again… not certain of laws – I know loaded ammo must be in original containers or similar, but don’t know if you have to declare it. I’d guess that bullets are just fine, don’t have to be declared and wouldn’t be flagged by TSA.