By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter NEW MEASURES implemented by the Government to fight the illegal drug trade, have resulted in the seizure of over $491 million worth of narcotics since January.
Reports are that among the cache of narcotics seized over the period are 1,210 kilogrammes of cocaine (2,662 pounds); 29,222.68 kilogrammes of ganja (64,285 pounds); 1,896.88 kilogrammes of hash oil (4,173 pounds); and 15.82 kilogrammes of hashish (34 pounds).
Narcotics detectives said they have also destroyed over 826 acres of fully grown ganja in operations conducted islandwide.
Speaking with The Gleaner last Friday, head of the Narcotics Division Senior Superintendent Carl Williams, attributed his unit's success to the implementation of the Ion scan and x-ray machines at the island's ports.
"We are even having fewer cases of persons who have ingested cocaine," said SSP Williams.
RECENT SEIZURE
On Monday night, a 33-year-old resident of St. Ann, Deon Charlton, was arrested and charged in connection with nine pounds of hashish found strapped to his body. He was nabbed while checking in to board a flight to Toronto, Canada, at the Sangster Interna-tional Airport, St. James. The drug was found in packages.
With tighter security now existing at the ports of entry, the drug smugglers have been targeting the postal system, attempting to export drugs and ganja in novel ways, concealed in sealed letters.
Last year, law enforcement officers seized a record haul of over 3,000 pounds of cocaine. It is estimated that about 30 per cent of the drugs entering the United States comes from Jamaica, which amounts to about 115 metric tonnes.
PLANS TO CURTAILING
DRUG TRAFFICKING
In August, the United States Embassy in Kingston announced that it would be seeking to increase the more than US$1 million in support it provides to the Jamaican Government to fight drugs, by as much as 50 per cent.
Director of the US Embassy's Narcotics Affairs Section, Sandra Oudkirk, had disclosed to The Gleaner that the money will be used to acquire a fourth go-fast interceptor boat for the Jamaican security forces to use in intercepting the trafficking of drugs, to provide support in other areas and to boost existing programmes.
