Children involved in drug trafficking

Klao Bell, Staff Reporter

AS JAMAICA grapples with the issue of drug-running among youngsters, neither the police nor children's agencies here have managed to get a full grasp of the subject.

Sunday Gleaner investigations reveal that neither the Police Narcotics Division, Children's Services Division, nor the Family Court, maintains statistics of juvenile involvement in drug trafficking.

"We haven't devoted a statistical category to it. When it does happen though it's of concern to us so much that we investigate it vigorously," said Carl Williams, superintendent in charge of the Police Narcotics Division.

The Family court and places of safety say involvement of children in drug trafficking seems to be common but the police claims there is not an alarming trend.

"When compared with the adult cases, it doesn't happen frequently." Superintendent Williams said.

The latest reported case occurred last weekend when a 13-year-old Jamaican girl was arrested and charged with breaches of the dangerous Drugs Act at the Norman Manley International airport. Her parents, who were at the airport were also charged as accomplices.

Police records at the Sangster's International airport show that five juveniles were held in 2000 and two since the start of the year. Juvenile matters are handled by the Family Court, and Clerk of Court, Carlo Mason, of the Kingston court, could only recall that approximately six cases have been heard since the start of this year.

"At least four cases since the start of the year, possibly one or two more but because records are not kept in an organised manner -- we can't confirm," Mr. Mason said.

But he was able to give insight based on cases to which he has been privy.

"There is a great lure among children who are being given the opportunity to earn between US$3,000 and US$5,000," Mr. Mason said.

He added that in some cases, "parents don't even know what they are involved in. There was one situation where a mother told the child not to leave the house to go out, the child left anyway, next thing the mother got a call from Norman Manley International airport."

"When it comes to children they don't have a choice - they do it because their mother or aunty or whomever tells them to do it...we see boys and girls trafficking but mostly girls," Superintendent Williams said.

A superintendent at a place of safety said that she has seen 16 - 17 juveniles in the last two years, many of whom are forced by parents to traffic drugs. The superintendent spoke to The Sunday Gleaner under strict instructions of anonymity.

The superintendent said some young women have been "conned" by boyfriends and in one case, an American child was taken to Jamaica by her mother's friend and strapped with cocaine for the return trip. She said the youngest case she has seen was when a British mother strapped cocaine around her nine-year-old child's stomach.

"I think the druggists use children because they think it is easier for them to get away," the superintendent said.

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