Drug diver found dead

By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter

JAMAICA'S FIGHT against the illegal drug trade suffered another blow on Sunday with the mysterious death of a diver who searches for drugs attached to the hulls of out-going ships.

Aubrey Farr, 32, of Portmore, south St. Catherine, became the third such specialist diver to have been murdered in the last 12 months. His body was found by residents on the soft shoulder of Diamond Road, Kingston 13, with multiple stab and chop wounds.

Two other divers, Carl Lubsey and Donovan Henry, were shot dead in separate incidents in Clarendon and St. James last year. It is alleged that Mr. Farr who had replaced Mr. Lubsey, left his home last weekend to check the hull of a cargo ship in Port Antonio, Portland.

The threat of Hurricane Iris forced the ship to leave sooner than expected and Mr. Farr, who was travelling with another diver, returned to Kingston. His body was found on the street about 3 a.m.

His van was found on Wednesday, parked on the Port Henderson Road, near to Portmore, St. Catherine. The passenger seat was stained with blood, and the commercial radio was missing but Mr. Farr's diving equipment was intact.

The Gleaner understands that prior to his death, Mr. Farr had expressed fear for his life. Yesterday, detectives said the investigation was at delicate stage and decline to say anything else.

The killers of the other two divers have still not been found. Mr. Lubsey was threatened before he was shot.

On October 31, 2000 he was on his way to Rocky Point, Clarendon to check a ship, "Orlent River II", which had arrived in the island for alumina. Police say Mr. Lubsey was driving his pick-up truck along the Rocky Point pier road when a car drove up behind him and its occupants shot him several times.

Police sources believe he was slain because he had turned down bribes not to check ship's hulls for ganja.

Mr. Henry's body was discovered on the Farm main road, Montego Bay, St. James, on October 14, two days after he was reported missing from his home.

Back to News