Police tighten net on drug smugglers - ...But 'large percentage' still escape By Klao Bell, Staff Reporter The police have held close to 20 persons trying to smuggle drugs through the island's two international airports in the last two weeks. And in almost all the cases, the traffickers were held on the weekend, indicating that may be a preference for exporting cocaine and ganja on those busy travel days. However, while the police have been nabbing some traffickers, many more continue to elude the security net, the cops admit. "I don't want to put a percentage on it, but I don't believe a large percentage are being caught," said Gladstone Wright, superintendent at the Narcotics Division of the Jamaica Constabulary Force. In 2000, 251 persons were arrested at the Norman Manley International Airport and 4,063.71 kilograms of ganja and 807.282 kilograms of cocaine seized. Up to April of this year, 103 persons had been arrested for breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act. At Sangster International Airport, 224 people were arrested and 670.19 kilograms of ganja and 193.12 kilograms (kg) of cocaine were seized. Up to April of this year 71 persons were arrested, 127.87 kg of ganja and 57.31kg of cocaine seized. When caught, smugglers are charged with dealing in, possession of and taking steps to export the drugs. Smuggling ganja carries a maximum fine of $1.015 million while cocaine smuggling carries a maximum fine of $1.15 million. Both attract maximum sentences of five years. But people, mostly women, are still willing to risk these penalties. Law enforcers said that the promise of riches and the urgency to get it are the main causes. "Poverty, greed and desperation are some of the reasons people take the risk of exporting drugs," the police said. Rowena Johnson, who lives in a community off Mountain View Avenue in east Kingston, said that although she had never smuggled drugs, she is "contemplating that right now. "When you come from a community where there is no motivation, you'll do anything to survive," she added. "It's fast money. If you know that all you have to do is sit on a plane for three hours and you get US$2,000, then I'll take the risk. But I wouldn't be working for anybody I'd do it for myself," Ms. Johnson said. When asked if she wasn't concerned about getting arrested she said: "It's not hard to get the drugs out of Jamaica...Jamaica is corrupt in every sense and once you have the cheddar (money), you just pay two policeman and two security and you get it through. It's when you go to America you have risk, but it's the body language that gives you away. If you don't do anything stupid you sail through." Many foreigners caught smuggling drugs are also from poor backgrounds. "From the stories you hear, most of the reasons are economical," said Inspector Rutherford Gordon, who is stationed at the Sangster International Airport police post. "...We caught two people from Latvia. They could barely speak English. They were doing it for their families. It is rare that you catch somebody who is well-off or just doing it for peer pressure." The United States, England, Canada are the top destinations for both Jamaican and foreign smugglers. "The entry system to England is not as rigid as the United States," Supt. Wright said. "...There are more flights headed out daily to the U.S. so naturally there would be more attempts." Police personnel have to rely on keen observation as not all passengers can be searched. "We cannot check all persons passing through. If we were to do that most of our flights would be delayed," said Supt. Alvena Ewan, of the Norman Manley International Airport police station. "...But we look at a number of different things when observing passengers." Insp. Gordon said "strapping the drugs on the body and hiding it in shoes are very common so we look at unusually bulky persons, also we look at how people walk." Smugglers have tried innovative methods of concealing drugs. "One man hid it in a guitar," Insp. Gordon said. "I have seen two pounds of cocaine in the soles of shoes...Men tend to swallow, while women swallow as well as hide the drugs in the cavities of the body." Supt. Ewan said the most innovative method she has seen is when "they cut sugar cane at the joints, scoop it out and put cocaine in it." Name changed on request.
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