"High rates of crime" prompt Canada to issue travel advisory for Bahamas

Canada has issued a travel advisory for the Bahamas, warning travellers heading to the island country to be cautious due to high rates of crime.

According to the Government of Canada’s travel advisory page, Canadian travellers should “exercise a high degree of caution”– specifically in Freeport and Nassau– due to increased criminal activity.

“Armed robberies, burglaries, purse snatchings, theft, fraud, and sexual assaults are the most common crimes committed against travellers in Freeport and Nassau,” states the advisory webpage.

“Incidents of robbery also take place in cruise ship terminals and in and around popular resort areas, even in daylight hours. Crime increases during the holidays.”

The Canadian warning comes after the US State Department issued its own travel advisory for the Bahamas last week.

“In Nassau, practice increased vigilance in the ‘over the hill’ area (south of Shirley Street) where gang-on-gang  violence has resulted in a high homicide rate primarily affecting the local population,” reads the warning.

On January 24, the US Embassy in Nassau also issued a security alert to US citizens in relation to 18 murders in Nassau since the beginning of 2024.

Canada’s travel warning advises travellers to consider the following when travelling to the Bahamas:

• Avoid Nassau’s “over the hill” (south of Shirley Street) and Fish Fry (Arawak Cay) areas, especially at night
• Stay alert to your surroundings at all times
• Don’t walk alone, particularly after dark
• Don’t carry large sums of cash or wear expensive jewellery
• Ensure that your personal belongings, including your passport and other travel documents, are secure at all times
• Avoid deserted beaches
• If you are threatened by robbers, stay calm and don’t resist

The advisory also notes that sexual assault “occurs frequently” in the Bahamas, specifically “near hotels, in hotel rooms, in casinos, on cruise ships, and on the beach.”

The Canadian government states that reported incidents of sexual assaults are on the rise in Nassau, and that victims were drugged in some cases.

More information on Canada’s travel advisory to the Bahamas can be found here.

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