Glenroy Sinclair and Janet Silvera, Gleaner Writers

The United States Department of Homeland Security is probing the circumstances under which a quantity of hash oil found its way into luggage, which arrived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, aboard an Air Jamaica flight on Wednesday.

While the local narcotics police have been informed about some aspects of the case, The Gleaner understands the airline has been slapped with a US$1 million (J$70 million) fine.

Contaced yesterday, Will Rogers, acting CEO and president of Air Jamaica, speaking through the company's public relations manager, Marjorie Robinson, confirmed that the drug was found among luggage which had arrived on an Air Jamaica flight.

Ms. Robinson said the airline had yet to receive correspondence to indicate that it had been fined.

In the past, Air Jamaica has been slapped with hefty fines related to the transportation of drugs. However, Ms. Robinson said it had been some time since the airline last received such a fine.

The Gleaner was unable to ascertain from which of the two international airports the flight had departed. Information received was that, on Wednesday, three flights departed the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston for Fort Lauderdale, while one left the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St. James.

Speaking with The Gleaner last night, head of the Narcotics Division, Senior Superintendent Carlton Wilson, said his team had in the past, arrested a number of people who have connections at the airports.

"We suspect that there is a syndicate of people waiting to facilitate drugs through the airports," said SSP Wilson.