American tourist to pay $9,000 fine for bullets in backpack

Tyler Wenrich, an American tourist, has been spared additional jail time in the Turks and Caicos Islands after being charged with carrying ammunition into the country. 

Instead, he has been fined $9,000 (£7,040), according to local reports.

In Turks and Caicos, ammunition charges come with a potential mandatory minimum prison sentence of 12 years. 

Wenrich is among five American tourists detained in recent months due to ammunition discovered in their luggage.

Wenrich was detained in April when security personnel found two 9mm bullets in his backpack as he attempted to board a cruise ship. 

He admitted to the charges last week, explaining that the ammunition was accidentally left in his bag following a visit to a gun range with friends.

Alongside the fine, Wenrich was sentenced to three weeks in jail, which he had already served prior to being released on bail. Once the fine is paid, he will be allowed to leave the British territory.

The 12-year minimum sentence law was enacted at the end of 2022, following a significant rise in homicides during 2020 and 2021, linked to international crime, gang activities, firearms availability, and drug-related offenses, as noted by the UK government.

To date, no American citizen has been given the mandatory minimum sentence for this offense. 

Besides Wenrich, four other American tourists have encountered similar issues recently. 

For instance, Bryan Hagerich, another US tourist from Pennsylvania, was found with 20 rifle rounds in his checked luggage in February.