An illegal landing strip in Portland Cottage, Clarendon being destroyed by members of the Jamaica Defence Force and Operation Kingfish, yesterday. - Operation Kingfish photo

An illegal airstrip, located near the swamps of Portland Cottage in Clarendon, was destroyed yesterday morning during a joint police-military operation.

"There has been a slight increase in the number of aircraft coming here and utilising illegal airstrips. So we decided to be proactive by destroying those that we can destroy at this time," head of the Narcotics Division, Senior Superintendent Carlton Wilson told The Gleaner yesterday.

According to Inspector Steve Brown, it took members of the Jamaica Defence Force Engineering Unit, Special Anti-Crime Task Force, Narcotics Division and Operation Kingfish four and a half hours to destroy the 1.5-mile long airstrip

He said the Portland Cottage airstrip was being used frequently. This is the fifth illegal airstrip that has been destroyed by Operation Kingfish in recent months.

Head of Operation Kingfish, Assistant Commissioner Glenmore Hinds, described yesterday's operation as part of an ongoing effort to clamp down on the illegal drug trade.