NEW YORK, NEW YORK – A former Royal Bahamas Defence Force officer faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine after pleading guilty in a New York court to his role in a major international cocaine smuggling conspiracy.
56-year-old Darrin Alexander Roker admitted to one count of cocaine importation conspiracy, becoming the first of 13 defendants to plead guilty in the case.
Roker told the court he provided drug traffickers with information on the location of Bahamian law enforcement vessels to help them avoid interception. Prosecutors said he received $20,000 for his role in the operation, which allegedly involved the movement of tons of cocaine through The Bahamas into the United States between 2021 and 2024.
The former chief petty officer said he became involved in the conspiracy shortly after returning to work in 2024 following a battle with prostate cancer.
Prosecutors allege the ring included corrupt police officers and a purported government official who worked with traffickers to move cocaine shipments through Bahamian airports.
Among those charged are Chief Superintendent Elvis Nathaniel Curtis and former RBPF Sergeant Prince Albert Symonette, accused of taking bribes to facilitate drug shipments through Nassau.
The case, described by U.S. prosecutors as an example of “drug-fueled corruption,” has sent shockwaves through Bahamian law enforcement circles.
Roker will be sentenced on January 21, 2026, and remains in U.S. custody.
