Trafik dwòg pou zam ant Jamayik e Ayiti

Woman among six held in ganja bust
900 pounds of weed valued at over $80m seized
KIMMO MATTHEWS, Observer staff reporter matthewsk@jamaicaobserver.com
Friday, July 25, 2008

SIX people were yesterday being questioned by the police following the seizure of cured and compressed marijuana, weighing approximately 900 pounds and valued at more than $80 million, during operations in Kingston and Clarendon Wednesday night.

The names of the six were not released by the police, but officers said one man was held in Kingston - the Jamaican capital - while the other five, including a woman, were held in Clarendon. One was said to be a national of Trinidad, Jamaica's Caribbean neighbour.

"We believe that the drug was heading for Haiti and was to be used as part of the drugs-for-guns-trade between Jamaica and Haiti, and the police at this time are carrying out their investigation to get further information on the matter," said Det Sgt Jubert Llewelyn, spokesman for Operation Kingsfish, the police unit which led the operations.

The thriving drugs-for-guns trade between Jamaica and its French-speaking Caribbean neighbour, Haiti, has recently been blamed for the increase in the number of illegal guns on the streets of Jamaica, which is already battling to keep its growing crime rate under control.

Yesterday, the police said Wednesday night's raids should put a major dent in the illegal trafficking of drugs to Haiti.

Detective Sergeant Llewellyn told the Observer that the Kingston operation took place shortly before midnight on South Camp Road, when more than 500 pounds of marijuana valued at more than $40 million was found in after the police stopped and searched two vehicles.

According to the police, a white Toyota Corolla station wagon motor car and a green Rover motor car were stopped, when one of the drivers fled from his vehicle. The marijuana was found following a search of the vehicle. Marijuana was also found in the other vehicle, but the police managed to hold on to the driver. He was arrested and taken to the Narcotics Division where he was interrogated by narco agents.

The second drug seizure took place in the Kennedy Grove Housing Scheme about 11:30 Wednesday night when a truck carrying goods was ordered to stop, the police said.

A search was carried out and a total of 400 pounds of cured ganja was found. Five people, including the woman, were held in that raid.