THE GOVERNMENTS of Britain and Jamaica yesterday renewed their memorandum of understanding to tackle drugs couriers from Jamaica.British Customs and Excise reported that John Healey, Britain's Economic Secretary to the Treasury and Customs Minister, met with Dr. Peter Phillips, Jamaica's Minister of National Security, and signed an updated memorandum of understanding between the United Kingdom and Jamaica to tackle drug couriers.
The new memorandum includes an additional commitment to the 'Operation Airbridge' initiative, as the programme is called. It provides for the appointment of the United Kingdom (U.K.) and Jamaican project managers to improve airport controls, and the supply of further detection equipment.
The signing of the original memorandum of understanding in May 2002 saw the launch of Operation Airbridge, an initiative to stop the flow of cocaine traffickers into the U.K. by intercepting them before they even boarded their flight. A technical assistance and training programme was set up for the Jamaican Constabulary Force, and ionscan testing machines were provided, with training provided by UK Customs.
In the first year of Operation Airbridge, from June 2002 to May 2003, the number of cocaine swallowers detected in Jamaica before they could reach the U.K. rose from 82 to 216, compared to the previous 12-month period. At the same time, the number of swallowers caught in the UK fell by 75 per cent, from 730 to 185.
"This builds on the successful partnership that has been established with the Jamaican Government," said Mr. Healey. "The partnership has been an outstanding success and will continue, keeping up the pressure on the drugs traffickers in both Jamaica and the U.K. We will continue to tackle cocaine traffickers close to their source."
