American agents arrested the Premier of the British Virgin Islands after a "sting" operation where they posed as members of Mexico's feared Sinaloa cartel.

The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) officials arrested Andrew Fahie as they pretended to belong to the cartel, known for its association with notorious drug gang boss Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán.

The DEA agents had set up a meeting with Oleanvine Maynard, the managing director of the British territory’s port authority, and her son Kadeem.

The suspects had been led to believe they were meeting members of the Sinaloa cartel to discuss a massive drugs deal involving terrorist group Hezbollah, the DEA report alleges.

Fahie is accused of being “head coach” for the conspiracy, which would have seen some $700,000 [£560,000] in cash handed over in exchange for temporary storage of a huge cocaine shipment.

All three suspects are currently being held on charges related to conspiracy to import a controlled substance and money laundering after being arrested in Miami, where they were visiting a cruise convention.

In a statement the governor of the British Overseas territory, John Rankin, said: “I realise this will be shocking news for people in the territory. And I would call for calm at this time.

“As this concerns the arrest of a British citizen, the [US] government has informed the [UK] government of this arrest, as part of the usual process followed when a British citizen is arrested abroad,” he said.

“The UK government has subsequently informed me as governor.”

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UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said that she was “appalled” by news of the arrest.

“This afternoon,” she said in a statement, “the premier of the British Virgin Islands, Andrew Fahie, was arrested in the United States on charges related to drugs trafficking and money laundering.

“I am appalled by these serious allegations.”

She added: “I have spoken to the Governor of the BVI, and he will be holding an emergency meeting of the Territory’s Cabinet."

In a separate development, the UK had already set up an inquiry to look into allegations of corruption and jury intimidation in the small island group, which earns a majority of its income from financial services and tax sheltering arrangements.

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