U.S. government warns about travel to sunny destination after arrest of 5 Americans

The new advisory reiterates the "exercise increased caution" advisory but warns of new risks.

Mar 6, 2025 - 16:00

U.S. government warns about travel to sunny destination after arrest of 5 Americans

An overseas British territory sitting southeast of Miami and the Bahamas in the Atlantic Ocean, the 40 islands making up Turks and Caicos have long been considered to be an ultra-luxury destination alongside countries like the Maldives and the Seychelles.

With its remoteness and large number of tourists staying in high-end resorts, Turks and Caicos is overall a very safe destination to visit.

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That said, the U.S. State Department recently updated its advisory to warn of different types of crime that has been reported on Providenciales and other islands. The government re-issued the level two "exercise increased caution" advisory that is currently also held by countries like France, Germany and Mexico.

"Exercise increased caution in the Turks and Caicos Islands due to crime," the travel warning reads. "Most crime occurs in Providenciales."

While petty crime has been a consistent problem in larger settlements and common tourist areas across the islands, the country's advisory has been updated to warn travelers about running afoul of local laws by bringing in things like drugs, weapons and ammunition.

In the spring of 2024, five Americans who had been preparing to fly out of Turks and Caicos were arrested after customs officers discovered a small number of bullets in their suitcases. While the tourists claimed they forgot it was in their bags after domestic travel and got away with fines after several months spent in detention, some faced the risk of up to 12 years behind bars.

Turks and Caicos is a British territory that attracts a large number of very wealthy travelers.
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'Detained and unable to depart for several weeks or more'

"Police strictly enforce these laws, even at the airport when travelers are leaving," the government warns. "Travelers face arrest, jail time, and heavy fines. Some U.S. citizens have been detained and unable to depart for several weeks or more after being found with bullets in their luggage. [...] Though the law allows for some exceptions and discretion, the Department of State cannot guarantee your release."

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Travelers are also warned to watch and not leave their luggage unattended in order to avoid a situation in which someone places an unknown object into one's bag. Other tips for staying safe provided by the government include not physically resisting robbery attempts and not opening one's hotel or rental property door to unexpected visitors even if somebody knocks.

While the exact details may be country-specific (this advisory was prompted by the rise in ammunition-related arrests from tourists who did not account that laws would be different from back home), similar advisories about knowing and respecting local laws are also in place for common vacation destinations such as Mexico, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas.

The advisory further warns that the Turks and Caicos territory's small size — the permanent population is recorded at just over 46,000 people — means that both local police and the U.S. government may have limited ability to provide assistance to citizens who run into trouble of all kinds while on holiday.

"Police may have limited investigatory resources," it reads. "U.S. Embassy Nassau, located in The Bahamas, provides consular services (including assistance to victims of crime) for U.S. citizens in the Turks and Caicos Islands."