Bahamas parliament candidate faces scrutiny over ties to accused cocaine smuggler

By Tom Joyce
The Center Square

(The Center Square ) – A former Bahamian national security minister running for parliament faces growing scrutiny ahead of next week’s general election over his ties to a boat captain accused of attempting to smuggle cocaine into the United States.

Marvin Dames, a candidate with the Free National Movement party, acknowledged entering into a business arrangement with Bahamian boat captain Malcolm Goodman in 2024. Authorities later arrested Goodman near Florida and charged him after they say they discovered about 200 kilograms of cocaine aboard a vessel.

The Bahamas will hold its general election on Tuesday, May 12.

Federal authorities charged Goodman with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and importation of a controlled substance. Goodman could reportedly face life in prison if convicted.

Questions surrounding the case have intensified because of Dames’ previous role overseeing national security and drug interdiction efforts in the Bahamas. Critics also raised concerns about the vessel allegedly tied to Reel Xperience Charters, a company connected to Dames.

Dames has denied wrongdoing and denied knowledge of any alleged drug trafficking activity. However, critics say he has not fully explained the structure of the business relationship or the oversight surrounding the vessel.

The controversy has sparked concerns about U.S.-Bahamas relations because the island nation relies heavily on American tourism, trade and security cooperation.

The Bahamas currently benefits from visa-free travel to the United States for many citizens, along with U.S. customs pre-clearance operations inside the country. Those agreements help fuel tourism, which drives a major share of the Bahamian economy.

The Bahamas welcomed roughly 11.2 million visitors in 2024, according to tourism figures cited by political observers. About 85% reportedly came from the United States.

The Trump administration has pushed an aggressive anti-narcotics and anti-smuggling posture throughout the region, especially involving trafficking routes into Florida and the southeastern United States.

Critics in the media have sharply attacked Dames over the controversy.

“When Mount Moriah nominated former National Security Minister Marvin Dames as its candidate, it handed Bahamian voters something more uncomfortable than a ballot choice,” Miami Independent wrote in May 2026. “It handed them a liability.”

The outlet also wrote that “a major party has nominated a former National Security Minister — the man previously responsible for drug interdiction policy — whose acknowledged business partner was just caught moving $4 million worth of cocaine toward Florida.”

A February 2026 letter published by Bahamas Press argued Dames deserved a formal investigation.

“What is most interesting is the fact that a vessel registered in the Bahamas and owned by Marvin Dames was permitted to sail through the country for hours and into the US undetected!” the letter said.

The controversy adds to previous allegations involving Dames during his time in government.

In 2025, Our News reported that Bahamian National Security Minister Wayne Munroe accused Dames of signing and awarding contracts to himself. The Bahamas Herald also criticized Dames in 2024 over separate corruption allegations.

Dames has not been charged in the cocaine smuggling case.