The BVI has a reputation for treating tourists poorly... We typically ignore that because of the pristine sailing grounds... But, there have been multiple incidents of tourists ending up in the “gut”. I remember about 10 years ago they imprisoned a US citizen for fishing in BVI waters and fined him $45,000. Eerily similar... Reminds me of Mexico when police would stop you for “speeding” and demand cash. Extortion. It’s common in corrupt countries...

https://www.soundingsonline.com/news/american-jailed-for-fishing-in-the-bvi