Glenroy Sinclair and Shelly-Ann Thompson, Gleaner Reporters

Superintendent Marlon Dietrich of the Marine Police Division explains the capabilities of this newly-acquired 42-foot go-fast boat which will be used in the fight against the illicit drug trade. The officer showed off the boat to a Gleaner news team that visited the facility yesterday afternoon. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

With mounting pressure building against the narcotics trade at the island's ports of entry, drug smugglers have returned to their old method of fixing canisters of compressed ganja to commercial vessels docked across the island.

Yesterday two canisters packed with compressed ganja were found in the waters in the vicinity of the Gordon Cay. This is the third time in recent weeks that the Marine Police have intercepted sealed canisters in Jamaican waters. One was found floating yesterday morning and, by 5:00 p.m., another was again seen floating in the water. No arrests have been made.

"We believe that persons were in the process of affixing it to a targeted vessel, but the presence of the marine police prevented them from doing so. Hence, they were left to float in the water," the commanding officer of the marine division, Superintendent Marlon Dietrich, told The Gleaner yesterday.

Two canisters found

On two other occasions, two canisters were found in the waters in the vicinity of Port Esquivel in Old Harbour, St. Catherine.

With the acquisition of a 42-foot go-fast boast, the marine police say they are now more equipped to monitor the sea.

"This new boat has a 300-mile range and is very powerful. We are planning to bring down the manufacturer to get our police more familiarised with the high-tech vessel," said Supt. Dietrich.

Since January, the marine police have received more than a dozen of the 40 boats promised to them by the Government several months ago. Some are built to patrol the harbour, while the bigger ones are equipped to tackle assignments outside the harbour.

At least three professional divers who used to dive and search for canisters affixed to boats were targeted and killed by criminals affiliated with the drug smugglers. The task has now been undertaken by members of the security forces.

In the meantime, the narcotics police have reported that another canister was found on Monday, floating in the Portland Bight area of the Salt River, in Clarendon. No one was arrested in connection with the seizure.