A former Royal Bahamas Defence Force officer has pleaded guilty in a New York court to his role in a major cocaine trafficking scheme that allegedly involved corrupt Bahamian police and government officials.

Darrin Alexander Roker, 56, a former chief petty officer, admitted one count of cocaine importation conspiracy before US District Judge Gregory Woods on Friday — becoming the first of 13 defendants to plead guilty in the sweeping case.

The charges stem from a federal investigation alleging that traffickers moved tons of cocaine through The Bahamas into the US since 2021 with the help of corrupt officials.

Roker, a former Royal Bahamas Defence Force Chief Petty Officer, was indicted alongside Chief Superintendent Elvis Curtis and William Simeon, who prosecutors say played key roles in facilitating the movement of drugs from The Bahamas into the United States.

Curtis, Roker, and Simeon are among several Bahamians named in a federal indictment, alleging they exploited their official positions to enable the flow of drugs into the US. They were arrested in the US last year.

The defendants had previously sought additional time to review evidence and discuss potential plea deals.