U.S. and Bahamas Conclude Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty

On August 18, 1987, the United States and the Bahamas signed the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, regarding criminal matters (MLAT).  The proposed treaty, which must be ratified by each country before becoming effective, represents a major achievement for criminal cooperation between both governments since the area between southern Florida and Latin America is heavily used for narcotics trafficking and related criminal activities.