The US Department of Foreign Affairs recently issued a level 2 travel advice and warned travelers to execute caution on the Turks and Caicos Islands because of crime.
De Alert comes when the islands prepare for visitors to the spring break.
Most crime in the British overseas territory, located in the Atlantic Ocean nearly 600 miles southeast of Miami and just south of Bermuda, comes to the Main Island or Providenciales of Turk and Caicos, and the local police can have limited research resources, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In January, Shamone Duncan, 50, was killed of a sheriff from Illinois, in a shooting while celebrating her sister’s birthday in Turks and Caicos.
Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force confirmed.
On the islands, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends avoiding alone and at night, not to answer the door unless the guest is expected and not physically resisted during theft attempts.
They also recommend drawing up a contingency plan for emergency situations and registering for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which offers reports and makes it easier for authorities to find people during an emergency.
Those who are on the Turks and Caicos Islands must also carefully check the luggage before they leave the US to ensure that it does not contain bullets or firearms that are illegal according to the department.
Officials noted that the police strictly enforces the laws of arms, even at the airport when travelers leave. Travelers are confronted with arrest, imprisonment and heavy fines.
“Some American citizens have been detained and cannot leave for a few weeks or more after they have been found with bullets in their luggage,” said the warning.
Perpetrators are confronted with 12 or more years in prison.
“Although the law allows some exceptions and discretion, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cannot guarantee your release,” the Department said.
Several Americans were arrested in the country in 2024 after they had no more ammunition or bullets in their luggage while traveling to the US
Two fathers, Ryan Watson and Tyler Wenrich, were both arrested and held in April after Turks and Caicos Airport had found security bullets in their luggage while they returned from their vacations on the island.
The American embassy Nassau, located in the Bahamas, offers consular services (including assistance to victims of crime) for American citizens on the Turks and Caicos Islands.
