Two women are now facing serious criminal charges following separate law-enforcement operations that underscore ongoing efforts to stem the flow of illegal firearms and narcotics into and out of Saint Lucia.
In the first case, 32-year-old Shanice Leopold of Carellie Gardens, Castries has been formally charged with 20 offences linked to the interception of firearms and ammunition discovered in a shipment at Port Castries last month. The operation was part of a coordinated crackdown by authorities seeking to combat the illegal weapons trade, a major contributor to gun violence and organized criminal activity on the island.
Inspector Shervon Matthieu of the Gangs, Narcotics and Firearms Unit (GNFU) said intelligence-led policing was key to the seizure. “After receiving information, the Gangs, Narcotics and Firearms Unit, working closely with the Customs and Excise Department and the K-9 Unit, carried out coordinated searches at the Castries Seaport,” Matthieu stated.
The joint operation resulted in the interception of four separate consignments, leading to the seizure of nine illegal firearms and 24 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
Following the recovery of the weapons, investigations quickly focused on the consignment linked to the shipment.
Leopold was later arrested and charged with:
Nine counts of possession of a firearm
Nine counts of importation of a firearm
One count of possession of ammunition
One count of importation of ammunition
She appeared before a magistrate on Monday, December 8, 2025, and has since been remanded in custody.
In a separate drug-trafficking case, a 52-year-old woman, Angelica Hippolyte of Corinth, has been charged after allegedly attempting to export liquid cocaine to Australia.
According to investigators, on Thursday, December 4, 2025, Hippolyte presented a package for international shipment at the FedEx facility in Castries, declaring the contents as party supplies. Acting on intelligence received, officers from the Customs and Excise Department conducted a search of the shipment.
Chemical field testing revealed that the contents of the package were liquid cocaine.
The Gangs, Narcotics and Firearms Unit launched an immediate investigation, and during a joint operation, police arrested Hippolyte on Monday, December 8, 2025.
She has been charged with:
Attempting to export cocaine
Possession of cocaine
Hippolyte appeared before the court on Monday, where she was granted bail in the sum of EC$25,000 cash or suitable surety. Her case has been adjourned to March 12, 2026.
