VIDEO: St. Lucian Wanted for Serious Crimes Arrested in Dominica, Repatriated to Face Justice

What began as a routine drug arrest during Dominica’s Operation Clean Street quickly unraveled into a far more serious cross-border law-enforcement operation.

In October, St. Lucian national Merkyle Cooper was arrested in Dominica and charged with possession of cannabis. At the time, the offence appeared minor. Cooper was fined EC$1,100, which he promptly paid, seemingly bringing the matter to a close.
But investigators soon uncovered a far more troubling reality.

According to the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force, further checks revealed that Cooper was actively wanted by authorities in St. Lucia for serious criminal offences. Once his status was confirmed, police immediately took him back into custody—this time, not for drugs, but to face justice beyond Dominica’s shores.

Following coordination with regional law-enforcement partners, Cooper was formally repatriated.

“On Thursday, 22nd January 2026, Cooper was successfully repatriated and handed over to the St. Lucia Police Force to face justice,” the CDPF confirmed.

Police officials described the operation as a clear demonstration of regional cooperation and intelligence-sharing, underscoring the Caribbean’s united stance against transnational crime.

But the message did not end there.

In a sharply worded warning, the CDPF made it abundantly clear that Dominica is not a refuge for fugitives.

“Anyone who commits crimes in other countries and believes they can come here to hide or evade justice will be tracked, arrested, and returned to face the law,” the police warned. “There is no safe haven for criminals in Dominica.”

While authorities have not disclosed the exact charges Cooper faces in St. Lucia, police sources insist the offences are serious—and that his capture and return send a clear signal across the region: borders will not shield criminals from accountability.