CASTRIES, St Lucia — A Castries man is now facing a Money Laundering Charge after the Financial Intelligence Authority said a financial investigation linked to a 2024 police operation uncovered large sums of cash alongside drugs and ammunition.
The FIA said Patrick Gibbon Mitchell of Ravine Chabot was formally arrested and charged on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, under Section 30(1)(A) of the Money Laundering (Prevention) Act in connection with money seized during a late night traffic stop in June 2024.
FIA case details behind the Money Laundering Charge
According to the FIA, the investigation began after police stopped Mitchell’s vehicle in June 2024 and found a quantity of cash and drugs inside. The authority said the allegation relates to EC $62,000, US $3,954, and €1,670 recovered during that operation.
The FIA said a later search of Mitchell’s residence in Marchand uncovered an additional quantity of drugs and three rounds of live 9mm ammunition. Mitchell was previously convicted on April 10, 2025, in the First District Court for possession of cannabis resin and was fined $4,000 for the drug offence, along with an additional $6,000 for unlawful possession of ammunition.
Bail conditions imposed as forfeiture case set for April
Mitchell appeared before a First District Court magistrate on Feb. 9, 2026, and was granted bail in the sum of $50,000, the FIA said. As part of the bail conditions, he was ordered to surrender all travel documents to the court and report to the Marchand Police Station every Thursday between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
In addition to the criminal charge, the FIA said it has initiated forfeiture proceedings for the recovered cash. The matter has been adjourned to Thursday, April 16, 2026, for hearing. For more on how St Lucia authorities are using investigative tools in major cases, see our report on Ti Morne search warrants and the 2 charged.
