NINE PERSONS were arrested yesterday and a boat seized following an operation carried out by the narcotics police in Dolphin Bay, Portland. The raid also netted over 909 kilos (2,000 pounds) of compressed ganja.
According to the police, the operation which also involved personnel from the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), began around 11 p.m. on Tuesday and climaxed early Wednesday morning when the men were picked up. Up to last night they were still in custody being interrogated.
"We don't want to disclose too much at this time because there is the possibility that others could be arrested," said Superintendent Gladstone Wright, second in command at the island's Narcotics Division. Mr. Wright was responding to the question as to whether the area had been under surveillance.
He, however, noted that the boat seized was a 30ft twin-engine 250 horsepower which appeared to have been specially prepared to transport the cargo overseas. "We found six drums of petrol and 34 bales of compressed ganja ready to be exported," he said. "It was a rather strenuous operation but we are and will continue to be relentless in our effort to stem the flow of the illegal narcotics trade."
Asked if Portland was being targeted given the frequent reports of the parish as a major drug transshipment point, Mr. Wright said, "the entire island as far as narcotics is concerned is a problem."
