Glenroy Sinclair, Senior Crime Reporter

Police and military personnel packing over 1,868 pounds of ganja seized in Old Harbour Bay, St. Catherine, during an operation led by Operation Kingfish last August. - File

A combination of initiatives last year, by narcotics detectives and their overseas counterparts, resulted in the seizure of more than J$500 million worth of ganja and cocaine, in addition to the destruction of at least 9.38 million ganja seedlings.

Reports are that between January and November last year, 36,017 kilogrammes of ganja and 108.41 kilogrammes of cocaine were seized. This compares to the 152.84 kg of cocaine and 14,428 kg of ganja seized the previous year.

"Ganja production tripled in 2006, when compared with what we seized in 2005," said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Carlton Wilson, head of the Narcotics Division, who was responding questions posed by The Gleaner.

Intelligence-driven operations

During their numerous, intelligence-driven operations islandwide, SSP Wilson said his team intercepted more containers with compressed ganja last year, seized more vehicles and destroyed more hectares of ganja. Of concern to the narcotics police was the seizure of 10.63 kilograms of heroin.

"For the past years we have not seen or found any heroin here," said SSP Wilson.

While the police have seized a minimal amount of ecstasy tablets, the narcotics chief was also alert to the possibility that drugs such as a amphetamines and morphine could be in the country.

"We have not seen these drugs on the local market yet, but we are on high alert for them," said SSP Wilson. He added: "We will be extending our eradication programme in 2007."

Drug seizures apart, the narcotics police arrested more people last year, including some of the key players in the business. SSP Wilson stressed that the majority of persons arrested were intercepted with the drug or had attempted to smuggle the drug into the United Kingdom.

Up to the end of November, 6,220 persons had been arrested, including 318 foreigners. This compares to the 6,215 arrests made in 2005.