US NCIS K9 operation uncovers gang phones inside Basseterre jail

There was a serious shake-up at His Majesty’s Prison in Basseterre this week. US NCIS electronic detection dogs joined forces with the Royal St Christopher and Nevis Police Force, the FBI, and the US State Department’s INL to carry out a major search inside the facility.

The operation turned up fifteen banned mobile phones and one other electronic device. Prison officers believe the items were being used by gangs to organise criminal activity from behind bars. With the contraband removed, those networks have been cut off — at least for now.

What stands out is not just the haul itself, but the teamwork behind it. Local police working side by side with American agencies show that the fight against organised crime is not a one-island effort. INL has already said the success in St Kitts and Nevis could be used as a model across the region.

Still, the big question remains: if so many phones made it past the prison gates, what else could be slipping through? For the moment, though, the operation marks a clear win. Gang leaders can’t run things so easily from their cell, and the message is simple — the walls just got tighter.